At CRES, quality has always been at the core of everything we do—from the moment a pupae is bred to the day it emerges into a stunning butterfly in exhibits around the world. That’s why, on May 20th, 2024, we introduced a new quality rating system designed to help us better track, reward, and improve the health and viability of every butterfly pupae we ship.
Now, one year later, we’re excited to share how it’s going—and why it matters.
How the System Works
Every time breeders deliver their pupae to our export facility, each specimen undergoes a careful inspection. Our team checks for key indicators of viability: color, firmness, signs of aging, and any evidence of disease. For years, we collected and analyzed this data manually. But in 2024, we took a big step forward by fully integrating the process into our custom-built software system: SECSA3+
With SECSA3+, we’re now able to automatically analyze data from the past 3 months for each breeder and each species. The system calculates the percentage of “good viable pupae” versus those that showed quality issues—such as early signs of decay or parasites. From this, it generates a quality percentage score per species, per breeder.
This isn’t just a number. It’s a tool for improvement—and recognition.
Why This Matters
The quality rating has a direct impact on two important areas:
- Better Prices for Better Quality: Breeders who consistently produce high-quality pupae are now rewarded with premium pricing. This creates a transparent, merit-based system that gives real financial incentives to breeders who maintain excellent standards.
- Smarter, Data-Driven Purchases: On our side, the rating system allows CRES to make more informed purchasing decisions. When we see that a breeder consistently delivers top-rated Morpho peleides, for example, we know we can prioritize that breeder with confidence for that species. It helps us reduce risk, maintain reliability with clients, and uphold the high quality that defines our brand.
One Year In: What Have We Learned?
After one year of implementation, the system is proving its value. We’ve seen increased motivation among breeders to pay attention to the fine details of pupae care and selection. We’ve also improved our own internal processes, using real-time feedback to guide quality conversations with breeders.
What we’re most proud of is that the rating system has turned quality into a shared goal—measurable, visible, and actionable. Breeders are now equipped with insights that help them improve species-by-species, and we’re better positioned to build strong, consistent supply chains.
The journey doesn’t end here. As we continue to evolve SECSA3 and expand our support to breeders, we’ll keep refining the tools that connect quality and sustainability.
