Customer Reviews

Certificate for Live Butterfly Garden

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I love this product and idea...The problem I have is that the butterflies on their own are alot of times more expensive than ordering the whole kit with the big net, etc. For example; right now the butterfly garden is only $13.00 and comes with the certificate for 5 butterflies yet if you want to just get more butterflies; it costs $16 and you don't get the whole garden with them so it's better to just order another garden! I also ordered the pavillion for $25 and it came with a certificate for 10 butterflies yet to order 10 butterflies alone; it comes to $32!!! So again, makes more sense to order the entire butterfly pavillion again then just the butterflies. I do love this item though as does my son and now I have friends and other family members who are ordering them as it is really cool. I just wish ordering just the butterflies was cheaper than having to keep ordering the whole kit each time you wanted to get more.

I purchased the Butterfly Habitat and sent in the coupon, with a check for the caterpillars.

Insect Lore cashed my check but I never received the caterpillars. After waiting for 3 weeks, I tried calling, but their customer service team never picked up the phone. I waited multiple times for 25, 35, and once 45 minutes!!
I also sent multiple emails, using their website email, and never once received a response.
I bought this for my son's birthday, and his disappointment was the worst part of this miserable experience. He kept asking where his caterpillars were, and they never came. Very sad, indeed...

The caterpillars are an excellent gift - my niece loves them; however, I strongly recommend finding another vendor. When you order the butterfly garden you have to open the box to get out the certificate and mail it back with money for S&H in order to receive the butterflies. Based on comments by others I thought I was planning well ahead when a month before my niece's birthday I order this certificate separate from the butterfly garden so I could purchase the caterpillars in advance and avoid some of the problems others described. However, it took almost two weeks for the certificate to arrive. Then I had to fax it back to them to order the caterpillars and it took more than two weeks for the caterpillars to arrive. When I called to complain about the shipping time, their customer service rep - Jamie - told me "that's why we tell you it takes three weeks" and when I pointed out that no where in the materials I received with my certificate did it say three weeks she had no explanation. After my experience with them, I will not order from them again and have since discovered that there are plenty of biological supply companies with competitive prices that have moved into the 21st century and allow you to order the caterpillars directly online and that will delivery them overnight or two-day shipping. Do your research first - the butterfly garden itself is cute and worth the $15 but order the butterflies elsewhere.

I have bought these butterflies now for a few years for my kids. They love watching the larvae and cocoon and hatching. It is all so miraculous. Wonderful! They send you 5 larvae and say at least 3 will hatch into butterflies and everytime I have ordered (at least 5 times by now) I have had all 5 hatch.

I agree with a previous post that to re-order is too expensive. If the company reduces the cost to re-order, I am sure they would receive several repeat orders. I would buy regularly if the price was the same as the original coupon/certificate- $3-$5 for 5-6 caterpillars with food. I would probably order monthly.

Our seven year old loved this, at least until she missed the butterflies emerging. Had we realized that it costs MORE to purchase a refill of 3-5 larvae than purchasing a brand new kit we would not have started. Now we have a pouty kid who wants to grow more butterflies and we refuse to spend the money or buy new kits (what a waste). Don't even get started unless you plan to invest in overpriced larvae. We will be going into our garden to find bugs for the net container...they are free.

My granddaughter loved this! She spent hours watching for the hatching of "her" butterflies. Works especially well for the pre-k-kindergarten set.

I am not sure what happened with the other reviewers, but I purchased the whole kit as a gift for a great niece last spring.By carefully following directions she ended up with six very healthy butterflies that were released into her yard. She now can't wait to do it again this spring.

I recommend this kit highly. It is a great educational experience.