Keeping Butterfly Caterpillars

The caterpillars of many butterfly species are easily reared to adults on fresh foliage of the correct food plant for each species. Keep the foliage in a bottle of water but make sure the neck of the bottle is stuffed with paper towel to stop the caterpillars drowning in the water. Easy species to start with are Orchard Swallowtails on citrus or Wanderers on milkweed foliage.