I told  my pen pal  in California about the alpacas and she tells me she raises butterflies.  She has to get them little bales of hay, (milkweed?)  or whatever it is the butterflies eat and make sure they have water and their other needs are met.  Just like alpacas.   This leads me to a lot of questions;
    Do you selectively breed the butterflies for better butterfly traits such as color, fiber, conformation, reproductive abilities?    Alpacas do.
    When the babies arrive do you have to dip their belly button in novascan to prevent infection?  Alpacas do
    Do they need assistance in the birthing process?  Alpacas usually don’t but once in a while,  usually its not to hard.
    Do you have to strip the waxy plugs from the mama butterflies teets for ease of milking?  It helps with alpacas,  but they can get it on their own too.
    How many teets do they have?  Alpacas have four.
    How long do they remain with the mama?  Alpacas babies nurse for 6 to 8 months.
    What is the gestation period?  Alpacas gestation is 11 ½ months

Do you halter train them?   I like to halter train my cria from the day they are born,  some people wait till they are weening from their moms
Do they have butterfly shows?  Alpaca shows are lots of fun and there are lots of them all over the country.
Here is her response:

 problems of butterflies...do you have to pick up lost babies? How do you feed them when you run of hay and there is none in town? Must you bring a spot light outside so that they have enough warmth to complete the spinning of their cacoon  or trying to come out. Must you build temporary shelters for the same purpose...(large canvas sheets for just one caterpillar so she can pupate), do they destroy all the plants that you buy for $25 each? Must you save them from the street as they wander aimlessly searching for a good spot? Must you wait to prune your garden until they emerge and fly away? Do the mothers stay around..or just drop their kids off and expect you to raise them (the later)? Do you find that their bodies have been replaced with wasps? Are they born handicapped and can't fly? Does the Dad ever check in or drop by for lunch (no),   ha ha...no contest...butterfly herds are so simple...

Would you rather raise butterflys or alpacas?