Recently he supplied over 400 for the Butterfly release for Columbia/Montour Hospice. He sends his butterflies south (shipped in envelopes, ice and a packing box). This business started as a science project he and his daughter worked on. The first year, was part of the learning process and many of the larvae and butterflies died. By the second year, things were going very well. They raised $1200, more than enough to achieve a passing grade on the project. Today this butterfly farm generates over $10,000 and many hours of enjoyment working with these graceful creatures and sharing the secrets of the monarch butterfly with delighted audiences.
David Folk’s Butterfly Farm
David Folk joined
the Berwick
Rotarians at
Castawayz in Berwick
on September 30th to
discuss Monarch
Butterflys. This
was not just a
conversation about
how beautiful and
peaceful they look
fluttering from
plant to plant,
David actually
showed us their
lifecycle and gave
us a life size
demonstration of a
butterfly’s senses.
Wearing the
"Butterfly garb"
Dave showed
how a butterfly
breathes through
holes on their
stomach, they taste
with little tongues
on their feet,
theysmell through
their antenea and
they see through
multifacited eyes.
They are five weeks
in the catapillar
state and they eat
constantly, growing
out of their skin 4
times. After the
fifth skin sheds,
the caterpilar
creates a green
cocoon or
chrysalis. In
about 10 days the
Butterfly emerges
and lives from 2 to
6 weeks. David’s
farm supplies
butterflies all
around the area for
weddings or other
special occasions.
