When a butterfly with a broken wing finally took flight after an intricate surgical repair, Skyler Stelz shouted “Go, girl!” as her camera captured the moment that would later captivate millions online.
Stelz, 32, and her husband BJ, who raise butterflies at their Saint Johns County, Florida, home, faced an agonizing decision last June when they discovered one of their butterflies had sustained a wing injury severe enough to prevent flight – and mean its chances of survival were next to zero.
After waiting 24 hours to assess whether the damage would heal naturally, the couple quickly realized the butterfly would never fly again without some help.
“Of course, I had high hopes, and it’s been done before, but that didn’t mean it was guaranteed to work. It’s pretty hard to perform surgery on a butterfly,” Stelz said.
The pair decided to attempt what amounts to microsurgery for an insect. Stelz positioned her camera on a tripod to document the delicate procedure while BJ identified which section of the butterfly’s wing had become inactive.
Using butterflies that had died of natural causes from a shadow box Stelz keeps for art projects, they carefully selected a donor wing from the same species. Then, BJ meticulously cut a matching piece and attached it to the live butterfly using glue.
“The fact that it actually worked was insane,” Stelz said.
Want more good news? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter - Smileworthy. It's a weekly 5-minute read packed with uplifting stories, positive news and tips for living life more Happily. Oh, and it's free! https://smileworthy.beehiiv.com/subscribe
Stelz reassured her husband throughout the process that butterflies don’t feel pain in their wings. After completing the repair, BJ carried the butterfly outside as Stelz continued filming.
With gentle encouragement, the butterfly spread its newly repaired wings and flew away.
“It made me want to cry,” Stelz said. “To know she can enjoy an additional few hours, minutes or days because we helped her is incredible.
“People are amazed and definitely shocked that we did that.
“It’s been amazing getting love from so many people for the sake of the butterflies.”
Stelz, who describes herself as passionate about butterflies, said the response has been overwhelming.
“I love butterflies so much,” she said.
