Psyche™
Zone 5 |
Monarch Butterfly & Catio
Theophora™ NZ
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Psyche is inactive from March - August. 🦋 We'll return in September 2026.
Zone 5 Progress
Zone 5 Progress
5 upgrades planned | 0 completed
This space supports monarch butterflies while staying safe for caterpillars and cats alike. Protective cages let caterpillars grow undisturbed on their swan-plant host — kept safely out of the cats' reach — while the surrounding catio is planted with cat-friendly nectar flowers and offers Boots and Tabby a calm outdoor retreat. It's a shared sanctuary where wildlife and domestic life coexist by careful design. (This is a cats-only zone; Charli's domain is the grazing lawn and rabbit habitat next door.)
Sanctuary Upgrades:
Sanctuary Upgrades:
Sanctuary Systems:
🪱 Soil System
🌱 Plant Growth
💧 Water Support
🦋 Pollinator Habitat
🐇 Rabbit Habitat
🏠 Infrastructure
Butterfly Cages in Catio
Butterfly Cages in Catio
Current State
No controlled environment exists for Monarch caterpillars or butterflies.
Goal
Install butterfly cages within the catio to allow safe rearing of caterpillars and adult butterflies while preventing overpopulation and ensuring cats cannot access them.
Sanctuary Systems: 🦋🏠🌱
Catio Structure
Catio Structure
Current State
No cat-safe enclosure exists.
Goal
Extend fences at an angle to 2m vertical height and net off the catio, creating a secure, partially open-air space for cats while keeping butterflies separated.
Sanctuary Systems: 🏠
Planting for Butterflies
Planting for Butterflies
Current State
Concrete space with no vegetation.
Goal
Add butterfly and cat-friendly plants in pots so pollinators can thrive.
Sanctuary Systems: 🌱🦋
Water & Irrigation
Water & Irrigation
Current State
No dedicated hydration source.
Goal
Install shallow water dishes or drip irrigation for butterfly plants and catio plants, ensuring hydration without creating hazards for cats.
Sanctuary Systems: 💧
Observation
Observation
Current State
No observation set up exists.
Goal
Install cameras and live streams to allow monitoring of cat activity and environmental interactions.
Sanctuary Systems: 🏡🦋
Progress Updates
Progress Updates
April, May, June, July, August 2026
April, May, June, July, August 2026
All our outdoor work is on pause until September 2026.
March 2026
March 2026
Contacted our local city council seeking contact details for my boundary neighbours. This is to seek permission to commence work on the jointly-owned boundary fence.
Council responded with contact details for 3 of the 5 boundary neighbours. Draft letter underway.
This project is part of Psyche by Theophora, a living sanctuary for the soul's metamorphosis — where sacred plants nurture the journey from earthbound life to winged grace, and the garden's gifts are gathered in turn.
YouTube
YouTube
Follow our Butterfly Habitat Project at @TheophoraNZ
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