Sure, we all know where butterflies come from.  You know, they start out as homely looking crawly caterpillars and then one day…poof!…they turn into these gorgeous flying creatures.  Of course, that’s not entirely true.  First, many of these caterpillars are incredibly beautiful just as they are.  And they don’t instantly turn into butterflies, there’s a little more to it than that. But don’t take our word for it.  Come on over to the Helen C. Fenske Visitor Center where you can see the entire drama unfolding right before your eyes.

Here we have set up several entirely self-contained habitats where two different species of caterpillars, Monarch and Black Swallowtail, are now going through this miraculous transformation. With any luck, you could actually witness the amazing metamorphoses of caterpillar to chrysalis and then from chrysalis to butterfly.  But in any event, we have also assembled a collection of informative, and kid-friendly, materials to help make your visit educational as well as enjoyable.

If all this stimulates your interest in butterflies, here’s some more good news.  On Sunday, September 9 from 1:30 – 3:00 PM, we will be presenting a “Monarch Mania” program at the Visitor Center.  A highlight of this program will be some incredible close up videos of the Monarch life cycle, created by Friends volunteer Robert Lin. And if that isn’t enough, we will be serving ice cream to our visitors. So mark your calendars and stop by for a deliciously transformative experience.