Butterfly Wings N’ Wishes was formed in Edmonton AB in 2000, a small business born initially from one woman’s interest in bugs, education, and native species conservation. Starting humbly from small beginnings, for many years Gloria Swanson offered painted lady caterpillar rearing kits to local schools out of her own home.
We’ve stayed close to our roots despite having grown in both scope and expertise over the years: caterpillar kits are still our flagship project, and the research and development we’ve put into our lab over the subsequent decades has led to two different expansions. We now occupy a 2200 square foot laboratory and warehouse dedicated to rearing painted ladies indoors on the south side of Edmonton: the only facility of it’s kind in Western Canada. There, a small team of biologists and entomologists research population dynamics and disease prevention in our captive-bred (never caught from the wild!) caterpillars and butterflies all year long. We are dedicated to conservation, healthy animals, scientific excellence and education: we now supply most of the western Canadian school system with locally reared, sustainable, healthy, educationally informed caterpillar kits. Every purchase supports our groundbreaking work!
We’ve also branched out over the years into many other organisms that can be worked with through an educational lens, or as a ethical models/study subject: worm composting, isopods, praying mantis, and beetles are all animal populations we work with and supply nationwide.
We also offer a variety of engaging and dynamic in-school field trips featuring a variety of ‘special guests;’ and we love traveling all over Alberta to deliver hands-on experiences for students! Ask us about our in-school visits or our virtual presentations (which happen right on site from our creature lab!)
Please visit www.butterflyab.ca for more information.
Want a taste of what we do? We’re prolific communicators on socials – check us out via tiktok, insta, or fb for Neat Bug Stuff: @butterflyab.ca
