It all began with a passion...
OUR STORY
Meet the Owner
Butterfly Dad, Henry
Aloha! Thank you for taking the time to check out our website and learn more about our story.
Like many, as a result of the pandemic beginning in March 2020, I was furloughed from my job. One day, I came across an article by chance that changed my life. In that article, I learned that less than 5% of the wild monarch caterpillars make it to become butterflies. The wild monarch butterfly population is in fact on a fast decline and is on the verge of becoming an endangered species. With this information in mind, I decided to get involved by educating myself to help this dwindling species in any way I possibly could.
I attempted to raise monarch butterflies in my home garden, and quickly fell in love with the process and the species. It was the first time I was able to experience a full life cycle and see the transformation of a Monarch Butterfly. After several releases and a ton of research and experience under my belt, I decided that I wanted to share this magical adventure with all my friends, family, and the community. This brought life to the Live Chrysalis Boxes that everyone can personally experience! In a nutshell, this random twist of fate was how Paradise Monarchs was born in September 2020!
My hope is that with the chrysalis boxes, I can add a smile to someone’s face and brighten their day. More importantly, I hope it will inspire people to join our adventure in raising caterpillars to help promote the wild population of monarch butterflies in Hawaii.
A big MAHALO for the amazing support from the local community so far. I look forward to meeting more new butterfly mommies and daddies in O'ahu!
With much love,
Henry
Conservation
Due to the lack of food source, wild predators and diseases in nature, wild monarch caterpillars have less than 5% chance of becoming a butterfly. As a result, the wild monarch butterfly population is on a fast decline and is on the verge of becoming an endangered species. With our conservation work, the live insects have a 90-95% chance of survival. We raise all our caterpillars in a clean and safe enclosure and fed with the healthiest home-grown milkweed. Our mission is to help increase the chances for survival by raising healthy monarch butterflies, to then be released back into nature to promote the future generations of wild monarchs in Hawaii.
Experience
With our live chrysalis boxes, people get the rare opportunity to watch their very own monarch chrysalis transform into a beautiful monarch butterfly. The chrysalis will change from bright green to completely translucent towards the end of its journey before eclosing (emerging). If lucky, you may get the rare opportunity to catch the butterfly eclose and watch its wings expand. Few hours following the emergence, you get to the release these majestic insects back into nature. With every release, it will help welcome a new generation of monarchs in Hawaii.
Education
In each chrysalis box, we include information of the chrysalis transformation to guide you along the journey. We hope to bring awareness of these dying insects through sharing our chrysalis boxes. It is our goal to inspire the community to get involved to save these precious and majestic insects. Whether from planting milkweed to providing home and food source or raising caterpillars in your home garden, we will provide helpful information and resources to get you started. Follow our journey in raising the monarchs on Instagram or Facebook.
Our responsible rearing practices.
We raise all monarch butterflies responsibly from eggs, while incorporating best practices to ensure the healthiest and strongest monarchs are released back into nature.
Our responsible rearing practices.
Any chrysalis with any imperfections are not shared but kept for us to continue monitoring. Once the butterflies eclose, they are tested under a microscope for OE (ophryocystis elektroscirrha) parasite before safely releasing them back into the wild.
Our responsible rearing practices.
All caterpillars are fed with carefully sanitized milkweed.
#GivingBack #SupportLocalCommunity
As a small local family-owned business, we are extremely grateful for the community's love and support throughout our journey. Not only do we get the opportunity to share our love for the monarch butterflies, but our live butterfly chrysalis box also brings smiles to many. To spread joy and positivity in the community, we are honored to partner with many amazing local organizations. Below are highlights of our recent partnerships.
Kapiʻolani Medical Center for Women & Children
To cheer up children who are going through a difficult time at the hospital, we donate our chrysalis boxes regularly. We hope to put a smile on the all the strong, young warriors!
We also partnered with the hospital for the Employee Giving Campaign. A portion of all sales were donated to the hospital to benefit child life, palliative care, and chaplain services.
Make-A-Wish Hawaii
For Jahzel's wish granting, we added some butterfly magic to her staycation. We brought over 140 butterfly friends to surprise her family with a symbolic mass release.
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Why Paradise Monarchs?
100% Guarantee
Shop with confidence! Should your butterfly fail to eclose successfully, we will replace it for you.
Raised Responsibly
All caterpillars are raised with the highest care using best practices that will ensure the monarchs will be healthy for their release.
Personalization
We take every effort to make each order extra special! Each chrysalis box includes a personalized welcome note addressed to your gift recipient.
24/7 Support
Unsure of how to care for your butterfly? Fret not, each box includes a detailed information on how to care and release for your butterfly. We are here to answer any questions and support you through your journey.
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