Butterflies need plenty of space to fly around, so it’s usually better to release them into the wild a few days after they emerge (as long as they are native to your area). If you choose to keep the butterfly, you’ll need to keep it in the largest habitat you can manage—ideally, a captive butterfly should have access to a whole room, but this might not be safe or practical in your home. The habitat needs to have mesh or net walls so the butterfly won’t damage its wings battering against them.