Linda Archer shows how to glue the wing of a dead butterfly onto a live one.

It is the most delicate of operations, a surgery in miniature.

Linda Archer's patient is a monarch butterfly and it needs a wing transplant. Without the procedure it won't fly, and that means it will perish.

The tools of the trade are tweezers, glue, talcum powder and a very steady hand. The operation is carried out on the dining table.

VIRGINIA FALLON/STUFF Linda Archer gets ready to glue the new wing to the butterfly.

"To many people it's just a butterfly, but to me it's worth trying to save. There's nothing to lose."

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A butterfly's wings are like human fingernails: there is no pain when they are cut, Archer said.

VIRGINIA FALLON/STUFF Linda Archer shows the difference between the damaged wing, and the new wing.

Some butterflies still hatch eggs with disabilities, and this patient is no exception. Sometimes a patch of a donor wing can be used to repair a hole or tear, but today this wing has to come off.

The donor wings came from a dead male butterfly found the day before. The butterfly being operated on is a female – a telltale dot on the wings reveals the gender – but as long as Archer can line up the wing-veins, it should work.

Before the surgery, Archer feeds the insect a special brew of honey and water to give it energy. She uses a toothpick to unfurl its tiny proboscis and dip it in the mixture.

VIRGINIA FALLON Linda Archer, from Levin, repairs the damaged wings of butterflies by using the wings of dead butterflies.

Archer learned the transplant technique by browsing the internet.

"I'm a bit of a sook really, I just think you should help animals where you can."

Held in place by a fork-like tool, the butterfly's damaged wing is cut off, leaving a tiny flap on which to glue the new wing. It's stressful work, if the glue sticks to a leg or antenna, it's a sticky ending for the insect.

SUPPLIED Sporting a paper splint and a brand new wing, the butterfly is ready to flutter another day.

"Sometimes I do forget to breathe, it's very delicate."

Talcum powder is then applied to the wing so all the glue is covered. After a day or two in a butterfly cage, the patient is released.

"That's the best feeling, seeing them fly away."

Monarch Butterfly NZ spokeswoman Jacqui Knight said people were always shocked to find out about wing surgeries.

"They're surprised, a lot of people think you're hurting the butterfly by doing it, but you're not."

The lifespan of a monarch butterfly ranged from a matter of weeks to months, depending on when it breeds, she said.

"If I had a dollar for every time I've been told they [only] lived a day, I'd be a millionaire."

A monarch will lay up to 1000 eggs during its lifespan, she said.