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You need information before you can start gathering butterflies for your butterfly release. The first thing you need to learn about are your local laws. If there is an endangered butterfly species in your area you need to know what it looks like so you can avoid it. You need to know where you can legally find and collect butterflies locally.
Fortunately there are two groups that you can contact that are able to help you find butterflies. Both will know the local laws, and both groups tend to be friendly and helpful. The first is your local college's Entomology (study of insects) department. The second is any local lepidoptera (butterfly) clubs.
Take your butterfly net and swing it horizontally a few times. If you look at the net as you swing it you can see that the pouch forms a "cave". Near the end of your swing twist your wrist 45 degrees clockwise and you close the "cave". The reason you want to have a deep pouch is so that you are able to close the "cave" and still have lots of room for butterflies in the bottom of the net.
When you are in the field and see a butterfly, walk slowly near it and wait for it to land. Then swing the net horizontally "skimming" the surface the butterfly has landed on. After near the end of the swing, just before you slow down, twist your wrist to close the net. Keeping the net closed carefully reach into the net and get the butterfly.
Butterflies do not have teeth or stingers, so you are in no danger of being hurt by a butterfly. The reason you don't want to just grab a butterfly is because you can hurt it, not because of any danger of it hurting you.
Holding a butterfly without harming it is easy as long as you hold it correctly. A person can accidentally kill a butterfly by squeezing to hard, you can also rub the scales off the top of a butterflies wings with your fingers.
To hold a butterfly without hurting it "pinch" the wings closed between two fingers. Holding the butterfly this way will protect the scales from being rubbed off by your fingers, and you can hold it tight without worrying about crushing it.
Holding the butterflies wings pinched closed, slide your fingers into the glassine envelope. When you have the butterfly all the way in the envelope, release the butterfly and close the envelope. With some practice, this is easy to do.
Check the butterfly release supplies page for a list of the gear you should have.
Before you leave, place an ice pack in the bottom of your ice chest and then cover the ice pack with a towel. Then place a small box on the towel. You will carry this with you when netting butterflies. After you catch a butterfly and place it in a glassine envelope, place the envelope in the ice chest. This will keep the butterflies cool while you collect more.
Make sure you never place your butterflies on the ground unless you are watching them. This is because of ants. Keep a close eye on your ice chest when you are not carrying it.
