The Belize Butterfly Collective
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Side view of the butterfly house behind the CRC sign
Located at the Columbia River Cooperative is The Belize Butterfly Collective, a butterfly farm that internationally distributes and sells butterfly pupae and dried butterflies raised on the property.
The Butterfly Collective was created in 2011 to help create local employment while promoting sustainable use of rain forest plants. Our goal is to supply farmers with butterfly eggs, so that they can start raising their own caterpillars – all you need is a box, fruit, and their favorite leaves. Then we buy pupae from the farmers, and then ship them out to butterfly fanciers around the world. This initiative will be the first “fair trade” butterfly business because it would benefit locals and provide a reason to conserve the tropical rainforest, which becomes a source of an income-generating product.
The Butterfly Collective was created in 2011 to help create local employment while promoting sustainable use of rain forest plants. Our goal is to supply farmers with butterfly eggs, so that they can start raising their own caterpillars – all you need is a box, fruit, and their favorite leaves. Then we buy pupae from the farmers, and then ship them out to butterfly fanciers around the world. This initiative will be the first “fair trade” butterfly business because it would benefit locals and provide a reason to conserve the tropical rainforest, which becomes a source of an income-generating product.
Zebra (Heliconius Charitonia)
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Blue Morpho
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Owl (Caligo Memnon)
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Hamadrayas Cracker
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Above are pictured four types of tropical butterflies we raise. Currently, we specialize in the Blue Morpho butterfly (Morpho Peleides) and the Owl butterfly (Caligo Memnon). All other species are available seasonally.
Locally, we sell live butterflies specially packed in envelopes for release at special occasions such as weddings. Internationally, we export pupae to United States every week, and we hope to expand our sales internationally to other wholesalers and retailers. Finally, we’ve started exporting dried butterflies – perfect for framing or for origami. Feel free to contact us if you have an interest in touring the butterfly house or purchasing butterfly pupae or dried butterflies.
Introducing Adriano Ikal
Also known as Butterfly King, Mr. Ikal is a master butterfly farmer. He worked at a large butterfly farm for over 10 years, until he decided to become an entrepreneur and start his own butterfly farm, in partnership with the CRC. Each day, he feeds couple thousand caterpillars (which need fresh leaves every day), hangs up hundreds of pupae, collects butterfly eggs, and makes sure that vicious ants don’t create a dining trail to the boxes of caterpillars. His persistent hard work has brought the butterfly business this far!