Members can locate these courses under the Members Only Section

 

The IBBA Continuing Education Program

The IBBA provides our members breeder-specific courses for raising healthy butterflies. Upon completion of a continuing education course, members will be able to use the IBBA Continuing Education Seal on your website or other information.

Ready to become a member? Click Here to register!

 

Past, Current, & Future Courses

 

Raising Red Spotted Purples, Viceroys, Weidmeyer’s Admirals and Lorquin’s Admirals

Todd Stout of Raising Butterflies in 2017

Overview:

Although red spotted purples, viceroys, weidemeyer’s admirals, and lorquin’s admirals cannot be transported across state lines for releases, learning to breed these showy butterflies for local exhibits and educational displays is not too difficult. Rearing strategies for one species are very similar to others regardless of where you live in North America. Shared strategies will include

  • How to captive breed adults
  • How to obtain eggs out of gravid females
  • How to hatch eggs, rear caterpillars, and hatch adults
  • Where and how to look for eggs and larvae in the field
  • How to find hibernating caterpillars off season to build starter stock

 

Completed Courses

 

IBBA Procedures for Raising O.e.- Free Monarchs

Connie Hodsdon of Flutterby Gardens of Manatee January 2016

This coming year IBBA is initiating a year-long campaign for Raising O.e.-Free Monarchs, to promote and support the raising of quality, healthy butterflies.

This is a free course for IBBA Members on raising healthy monarchs through the identification and removal of the protozoan parasite Oe (Ophryocystis elektroscirrha).

We realize that longtime breeders are aware of procedures for raising Oe-free monarchs. We believe that continuing education for any profession, including raising butterflies, is important

 

Monarch Health and Disease (webinar)

Dr. Sonia Altizer and Dr. Jaap de Roode — April 9, 2015 1:00 PM EDT.

Overview:

Captive rearing of animals in closed quarters and at in high density situations can set the stage for the spread of harmful parasites and diseases. Monarchs and other butterflies are popular animals for nature enthusiasts and professional growers to rear for educational and other purposes. Problems with mortality and infectious diseases have surfaced in a variety of captive rearing settings.

This workshop will focus on best practices for rearing monarchs to limit the spread of unwanted infections, with a related goal of limiting the distribution of infected butterflies into wild populations. Topics will include identifying signs of infection, mechanisms of pathogen transmission, sterile practices to limit disease problems, common causes of mortality when rearing, and how to handle outbreak situations.

Note that this workshop will mainly focus on the protozoan parasite Ophryocystis elektroscirrha (OE), but will also include general tips from our experiences with non-OE mortality.

 

USDA Containment Requirements for Raising Tropicals and Butterflies with 526 Permit

by Dr. Wayne Wehling, February 26, 2015

Raising Red Admirals

Todd Stout of Raising Butterflies

  • Part I — Getting Started.
    Tuesday, February 17, 2015
  • Part II — Raising Red Admirals from Different Regions /
    Preparing for Production.
    Thursday, February 19, 2015

Rearing Healthy Monarchs

How to keep parasites away, identify signs of infection and troubleshoot mortality.

October 1st, 2014

A one-day online workshop/webinar on Monarch Health and Disease, featuring scientists Dr. Sonia Altizer and Dr. Jaap de Roode.

Brief description:

 

Captive rearing of animals in closed quarters and in high density situations can set the stage for the spread of harmful parasites and diseases. Monarchs and other butterflies are popular animals for nature enthusiasts and professional growers to rear for educational and other purposes. Problems with mortality and infectious diseases have surfaced in a variety of captive rearing settings.

This workshop will focus on best practices for rearing monarchs to limit the spread of unwanted infections, with a related goal of limiting the distribution of infected butterflies into wild populations. Topics will include identifying signs of infection, mechanisms of pathogen transmission, sterile practices to limit disease problems, common causes of mortality when rearing, and how to handle outbreak situations.

Note that this workshop will mainly focus on the protozoan parasite Ophryocystis elektroscirrha (O.e.), but will also include general tips from our experiences with non-O.e. mortality.