Butterfly exhibit opens at Como

Photos by MARGIE O’LOUGHLIN

It’s a flutter fest at Como Park Zoo and Conservatory, where the popular “Blooming Butterflies” exhibit opened in June. Hundreds of butterflies from Africa, Asia, and the Americas are flying freely in an indoor garden environment filled with tropical plants. Up to 400 butterflies will be released each week. Every day at noon guests are invited to pay $1 to release their own personal butterfly. The free exhibit is open every day from 10am to 6pm, through Sept. 5.

Blooming Butterflies offers visitors a total immersion experience for the young and old. The 2,500 square foot greenhouse features a thriving butterfly habitat that, over the course of the summer, becomes home to over 100 species of butterflies from around the world.

As many as 6,400 butterfly pupae (chrysalis) are being sent to Como throughout the summer. 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 several weeks and then are placed in the exhibit.

Blooming Butterflies introduces visitors to the wonders of metamorphosis. This seasonal exhibit showcases countless beautifully colored butterflies sipping nectar and taking flight, offering guests the opportunity to better understand and appreciate the life cycle of the creatures and their importance to the ecosystem. Inside the exhibit, you can chat with volunteers and ask questions, or simply relax and enjoy the garden while butterflies flit and fly about.

While a few of the butterflies exhibited in Blooming Butterflies are found in Minnesota, the bulk of them are not native. Como holds special permits to exhibit these non-native butterflies. Most of the butterfly species featured at Como are short-lived with an average life span of two to four weeks.