Judy Istock Butterfly Haven at The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum

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Lev Bely, 17.02.2012 23:38

Hundreds of butterflies and moths flutter above pools of water, tropical trees and flowers in Judy Istock Butterfly Haven, a butterfly conservatory at The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum. Whatsoever you happen to meet in the 2,700 square-foot greenhouse, it might turn out to be a true rarity, say, never seen in this region Blue Morphos (Morpho) and Banded Tigers (Dryadula phaetusa) from Central and South America; Rice Paper Butterflies (Idea leuconoe), the Great Egg Fly (Hypolimnas bolina), Blue Rims, and Chocolate Pansies (Junonia iphita) from Asia; 11 species of African butterflies, including Citrus (Papilio demodocus) and White Lady Swallowtails (Graphium angolanus). Sure, there is also world of marvelous local butterflies from the Midwest.

In April 2007 the Haven took in eight colorful birds, 4 males and 4 females, including the Central and South American purple honeycreeper, violaceous euphonia, red-legged honeycreeper, and the Australian gouldian finch. It's rather curious to watch these bright little birdies feeding on nectar or nibbling fruits laid out for butterflies.

Each week about a thousand of new chrysalides arrive at the conservatory to turn into butterflies right before your eyes. You can see as well hands-on exhibits that explain butterfly lifecycles, survival strategies, and Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus) migration. Everyone interested is welcome to know about the difference between butterflies and moths, what's actually metamorphosis, how butterflies feed and pollinate flowers, and what's their adaptation to habitat in the butterfly conservatory.

The museum has various educational programs as one called First Flight Butterfly Release, daily at 2 p.m., level 2, Judy Istock Butterfly Haven.

The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum is open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday & Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, http://www.naturemuseum.org

Photo: The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, http://www.naturemuseum.org

The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, Butterfly Haven