See hundreds of butterflies from Africa, Asia, North, Central and South America flying freely in an indoor, temporary exhibit among tropical plants in a lush garden environment at Como Park Zoo and Conservatory. Como’s Blooming Butterflies opens June 19 and is open daily from 10am to 6pm through September 7.
Returning for its second and final year, Blooming Butterflies offers visitors a total immersion experience. The wildly popular exhibit that opened its doors last summer can once again be found in a colorful 2,500 square foot greenhouse that resembles a caterpillar. Featuring a thriving butterfly habitat that over the course of the summer will become home to over 100 species of butterflies from around the world, guests will delight in their interactions with the fascinating winged-creatures.
Blooming Butterflies presents visitors with a one of a kind opportunity to get closer to nature. Introducing families to the wonders of metamorphosis, Como’s seasonal exhibit showcases intricate silk moth and monarch caterpillars, countless vibrantly-colored butterflies sipping nectar and taking flight and the chance to better understand and appreciate the life cycle of the creatures and their importance to the ecosystem. Inside you can chat with volunteers and ask questions or simply relax and enjoy the beautiful garden while butterflies flit and lazily fly around you and your family.
As many as 6,400 butterfly pupae (chrysalis) will be sent to Como throughout the summer, an increase from the expected 5,000 last year. The chrysalis is unpacked, inspected for any sign of disease or parasitoids, then pinned to foam boards and placed into the emergence chamber. They emerge anywhere from two days to one week. Inside the exhibit everyday guests will have the opportunity to release a butterfly of their own for only $1. Both children and adults will enjoy the intimate experience of seeing their butterflies take flight into a beatiful garden home.
While a few of the butterflies exhibited in Blooming Butterflies are found in Minnesota, the bulk of them are not native. Como holds a special permit to exhibit these non-native butterflies. Most butterflies are short-lived, and of the species we exhibit, the average life span is two to four weeks.
The best days to view the butterflies are warm, sunny days that translate to optimum butterfly activity. From opening weekend through the summer, the population builds until there are roughly 300 to 500 flying at any give time.
A home butterfly garden is easy way to both see more butterflies in your yard and to contribute towards their conservation, since many natural habitats have been lost to urbanization and other development. If you want to attract butterflies to your yard at home, it is important to provide food, water and shelter for butterflies. Both nectar and host plants, like milkweed should be offered.
Como’s Blooming Butterflies is made possible by the generous support of the Como Friends. Since forming in 1999, Como Friends has contributed more than $20.5 million to Como Park Zoo and Conservatory. These gifts have been invested in visionary capital improvements such as the Visitor Center and Tropical Encounters; annual programs and improvements that have made possible new gardens, renovated animal habitats and expanded education programs; and the creation and growth of an endowment fund that supports annual operations.
