KEMP Butterfly Release

Yes, you can donate for more than one butterfly, you will be required to make another donation for each butterfly.

Though we’d like everyone to be there to share in the beautiful occasion and to release their own butterfly, if you can’t make it please let us know and our team will release your butterfly for you.

With thanks to Bodenham Arboretum, they have kindly donated one free entry per butterfly. Friends and family who would like to attend the Butterfly release, will be required to pay the entry fee. You are free to spend the whole day there and enjoy the grounds and facilities.
Alternatively you can donate for more than one butterfly, so each person in your group can release their own butterfly.

The timings are subject to weather conditions, and for the welfare of the butterflies we will wait for any rain to stop before we go ahead with the release. Please note, umbrellas should not be used at any time whilst the release is taking place.

If it is raining or dark, the butterflies will naturally be sleepy. KEMP Hospice will keep the butterflies somewhere cool and safe until there is a break in the weather.

They will be released at the beautiful Bodenham Arboretum, with 200 being released at any one time. If we have more than 200 to release, we will have to designated areas to release the butterflies, to protect the existing wildlife and allow the butterflies to be released safely and responsibly.

No, for the welfare of the butterflies, KEMP Hospice will receive and care for the butterflies 24 hours prior to the release. All butterflies will be released together in an environment that is safe and suitable for them the thrive.

The butterflies are a variety of native butterflies, predominantly Painted Lady Butterflies.

As the butterflies are a random range of native butterflies, we cannot specify the exact colour butterfly you will receive.

We have carefully selected this species that occur naturally in the wild, here in the UK, during the summer months.

The release boxes are designed to enable the butterflies to roost (sleep) during transit, without sustaining unnecessary wing damage. They are triangular in shape and creamy white in colour. They are easy to open at the desired moment, simply by popping off the elastic band at the top.

This is nothing of concern, it is butterfly waste and not blood. It is perfectly normal.

If you are unable to attend, please let KEMP Hospice know. A member of staff will release your butterfly on your behalf on the day. Due to the welfare of the butterflies, they will be released at a specific time and all together.

The butterflies are native, migratory butterflies and have all been responsibly sourced from a registered UK breeder. The ecological impact of the release has been assessed in conjunction with the Arboretum and deemed safe.

The welfare of the butterflies has been an absolute priority. All the butterflies are bred, by a UK registered breeder and their emergence as adult butterflies is timed so that all the butterflies for release are fresh adults, up to a week old, but generally only a couple of days as an adult. Butterflies generally live for 4-6 weeks giving them time after release, to feed, mate (if they haven’t already done so) and lay eggs and behave perfectly naturally.