Insect Lore
Insect Lore was founded in California's San Joaquin Valley by Carlos White, an entomologist. He had an idea to create a kit through which people of all ages could witness the metamorphosis of a real, live butterfly. It seemed like a great idea - but the key to its success would be to create a recipe for caterpillar food. This would enable the caterpillars to eat and get enough nutrition to become healthy adult butterflies. How hard could that be?

As the next three long years of trial and error proved, quite hard indeed. Mr. White finally came up with a successful diet for the Painted Lady butterfly caterpillars in 1969. It was then that The Butterfly Garden was born. The concept was simple: butterfly lovers would go into a store and purchase The Butterfly Garden which included a certificate that could be mailed to our "butterfly nursery" in order to receive live caterpillars. The caterpillars would be shipped to the customer in a special jar that included Mr. White's unique caterpillar food. In time, the caterpillars would eat the food, change into chrysalides, and finally emerge as adult butterflies in The Butterfly Garden hatching box. After a few days of observation, the butterflies would be set free - delighting both the customer and the butterflies.

Today, over 30 years later, over 11,000,000 caterpillars have been shipped from Insect Lore's facilities in Shafter, California and Milton Keynes, England. Today, Insect Lore USA makes available The Butterfly Celebration - a specially designed butterfly releasing set for weddings and other special occasions. Now, in addition to butterfly kits, Insect Lore offers ants, ladybugs, silkworms and worms, frogs, and other living science experiments.

Insect Lore and NASA
Insect Lore Sends Painted Lady Butterflies Into Orbit

The July 23, 1999 launch of NASA’s Columbia Space Shuttle carried some unusual astronauts - namely butterflies. Insect Lore, the nation’s largest commercial grower of butterflies and manufacturer of the award winning Butterfly Garden set, partnered with a group working with NASA to put the winged creatures into orbit. Scientists were trying to determine if caterpillars would undergo their metamorphosis into butterflies in a zero gravity environment.

SPACEHAB, the team NASA uses to conduct living experiments on the space shuttle missions, approached John White, Insect Lore’s Marketing Director, at the National Science Teacher’s Convention. “When we were asked to be part of a shuttle launch and put some of the first butterflies into space,” White grinned, “we immediately said yes.”

The butterflies were housed in their own specially-designed habitat that allowed for videotaping. The house was developed at the University of Colorado. Video feeds of the progress of the butterflies’ development were available via the Internet from a website dedicated to the flight (www.spacehab.com).

A curriculum was developed with a high school near Atlanta, where students monitored the mission from their classroom.

The butterflies successfully emerged aboard the Columbia. They have been preserved and are to be put on permanent display in Washington D.C. at the National Air and Space Museum on May 3, 2000.

See More Items From Insect Lore!
 

	Toy Name: Ladybug Insect Habitat Company: Insect Lore For Ages: 4+ Years Discover the metamorphosis of a ladybug with our new Ladybug Insect Habitat! The see-through domed habitat allows you to get a bug's eye view as you watch the small alligator-shaped larvae eat their special food and drink from water bubbles. Includes sturdy Ladybug Insect Habitat magnifier dome cap, a certificate for 15 to 20 ladybug larvae, special food, and complete instructions. Take the insect habitat to school as a fun idea for show and tell or use it for the upcoming science project! Watch life unfold as the larvae turn into your very own loveable ladybugs!
	Toy Name: Butterfly Pavilion Habitat Company: Insect Lore For Ages: 8+ Years Welcome to the magnificent world of butterflies! This Butterfly Pavilion Habitat by Insect Lore, winner of the Oppenheimer Toy Portfolio GOLD award, features ten Painted Lady Butterflies soaring to new heights in an attractive, 36 inch mesh enclosure. Watch them grow and let them go! The set comes complete with: 3-foot hanging Butterfly Pavilion Habitat, a certificate for 10 caterpillars, feeding kit, fun-filled fact guide, and a colorful life-cycle poster. Witness the miracle of nature during the caterpillar's metamorphosis and be a part of the new life created as the butterfly emerges from its cocoon. Learn about the cycle of life first hand with your very own butterfly pavilion!
	Toy Name: Insect Lore Buzzerks Mantis Mask Company: Insect Lore This updated Insect Lore Buzzerks Mantis Mask is a leaner and meaner version of the popular Buzzerks that are raising eyebrows - and antennae - everywhere! Slip this cool Mantis Bug Mask on and be the bug! This outrageous Praying Mantis Mask features super realistic insect features, eye-poppin' lens tints, and pedestal packaging packs a punch!
	Toy Name: Kids Manny Mantis Garden Watering Can Company: Insect Lore For Ages: 4+ Years Meet your classic watering can shape, but with this creative Manny the Mantis Kids Water Can, it's hydration heaven! This fun kids garden tool is made of all-metal construction for lasting fun. It features a topside loop for hanging in the house or shed and is galvanized for durability.
	Toy Name: Buzzby Bee Kids Gardening Set Company: Insect Lore For Ages: 4+ Years Everything to get the gardener going! This Buzzby Bee Child Gardening Set contains a kneeling pad, kid's gloves, hand shovel and hand cultivator. This is a popular gift idea for those garden and bug lovers!
	Toy Name: Bug Biter Catcher Company: Insect Lore For Ages: 6+ Years Insect Lore is proud to present the Better Bug Picker Upper! Never touch a bug again! The bug biter is your own personal had-held live insect catch-and-release trapper. Place the see-through bug chamber over a bug, then pull the lever to safely - and humanely - catch small critters. The Insect Lore Bug Biter features innovative hand-held insect collector, sliding trap door that puts you in control, clear see-through bug chamber that gives you a bug-eye view, and a cool "munching mandibles" that makes bug collecting fun. Be sure to get your own super safe catch & release bug biter today!