Butterflies and Blooms

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I enjoy the ever-changing special exhibits at the Conservatory of Flowers in San Francisco, because I find the displays to be both well-designed and thoughtfully researched.

My most recent visit to the Conservatory was no different. The current exhibit on display is captioned “Butterflies & Blooms.” Although I had read the exhibit’s promotional materials about how visitors can experience the butterflies up-close, I was not sure what to expect. Upon entering the exhibit hall, I was delighted to see all manners of butterflies (approximately 13 different varieties, including, but not limited to, the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Monarch, Julia, Zebra Longwing, Small Postman, Common Buckeye, Viceroy, Spicebush Swallowtail, Giant Cloudless Sulphur, Cabbage White, and Red Admiral) fluttering about in the exhibit hall, which was decked out with spectacular blooms and filled with riotous color. Amazingly, these butterflies ignored the throngs of people and went about their business, pollinating flowers. Indeed, it was not unusual for several butterflies to congregate on a single sunflower as on-lookers stared on (see pictures below). I was able to get so up close to a number of butterflies, that I could even observe them using their proboscis (tongue) to reach the nectar located deep within the flowers.

There was also a display of the various pupae belonging to the types of butterflies present in the exhibit hall. Most had the appearance of shriveled leaves so that wild predators would bypass them in nature and not eat them. The exception was the pupa of the monarch butterfly, which had the appearance of a translucent jade pendant, inlaid with gold flecks (apologies that the picture below did not come out clearly).

Don’t miss out on this wonderful opportunity to observe and learn more about these amazing pollinators. This current exhibit will be on display until October 20, 2013. For more information, please see http://www.conservatoryofflowers.org/special-exhibits.

photos by Betty Homer