Are you ready to take a closer look at the beauty of butterflies? Then you’ll want to check out the Fred & Dorothy Fitcher Butterflies exhibit of over 7,000 tropical butterflies at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids, Michigan. This year, the exhibit has a special focus on the microscopic detail and beauty of butterflies, giving guests a unique and up-close experience.
From March 1 to April 30, 2023, visitors can explore the five-story, 15,000-square-foot Lena Meijer Tropical Conservatory and observe approximately 60 butterfly and moth species from Costa Rica, Ecuador, the Philippines, and Kenya. The conservatory mimics tropical regions, with 85-degree “weather” and 70% humidity. Every week the exhibit is open, 1,000 chrysalides are delivered to Meijer Gardens for guests to watch butterflies spread their wings for the first time in the Observation Station.
Did you know that newly hatched caterpillars of some butterfly species are only two millimeters in length—smaller than a grain of rice? Or that butterfly’s wings are covered in fragile, microscopic scales, overlapping like roof shingles, with 200 to 600 per square millimeter? Guests can use magnifying glasses to enjoy a unique view of the plant material that helps butterflies thrive at the new Exploration Stations in the Grace Jarecki Seasonal Display Greenhouse.
Admission to the butterfly exhibit is included with regular admission to Meijer Gardens. However, there are some rules to observe while viewing the butterflies. Please do not touch the butterflies and tripods are not allowed in the Lena Meijer Tropical Conservatory. Monopods may be used, but please be courteous to other guests. Also, per USDA regulations, no butterfly or plant materials may leave the conservatory.
If you’re looking for a unique and up-close experience with butterflies, you won’t want to miss the Fred & Dorothy Fitcher Butterflies exhibit at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids. From March 1 to April 30, 2023, you can explore the five-story, 15,000-square-foot Lena Meijer Tropical Conservatory and observe the microscopic detail and beauty of butterflies.
Source: www.clickondetroit.com