North Fort Myers Living

Hur ricane Seminar set for May 24 at the Shell Factor y

A free Hurricane seminar featuring John Patrick, chief meteorologist with ABC-7, will be offered by The Shell Factory and Nature Park on Wednesday, May 24, beginning at 10 a m The seminar will provide an emphasis on preparation for the hurricane season and recovery procedures should we have a hurricane or other major emergency.

Patrick’s presentation and representatives of various Lee County agencies will cover topics such as what a hurricane is, when to evacuate, flood damage and storm surge, shelters, how to prepare a hurricane kit, what happens after a hurricane, insurance needs, and how to find relief assistance

The seminar is free to the public. Parking is also free. Participants will

be able to ask questions during the question-and-answer portion of the seminar Door prizes will be offered by the participating businesses Registration is not required.

The Shell Factory is at 16554 N. Cleveland Ave., North Fort Myers.

$ 27

on the cover

April showers bring May flowers — and butterflies. North Fort Myers, with its rural neighborhoods, abundance of native host and nectar plants, and butterfly gardens, is a haven for these beautiful blossom feeders. Pictured on the cover is Naomi Kinsey, 3, admiring a monarch butterfly.

MEGHAN BRADBURY

Tommy Bohanon Foundation celebrates fifth annual Playmaker’s Tailgate Party

Hundreds attend annual Pioneer Picnic NFM arts organization reborn

The Neighbor is excited to bring back the Best of North Fort Myers. With a year off due to the hurricane, we moved it up just a bit from our previous voting. It all starts May 17 and ends May 30. We encourage the residents of North Fort Myers to make their voices heard for who they rely on for the very best in goods, services, and restaurants. The winners will be announced July 19 Voting is both via the ballot in the paper as well as online Just go to northfortmyersneighbor com and click on the Vote Now banner

Players Circle marks last season at the Shell Factory 19-29

Clash Charity Golf Scramble coming up

Hello, Happy May.

It’s beginning to feel like summer out there. What better to do in the summer?

Why golf, of course! And we have just the place for you to not only play a few rounds with some friends, have a great lunch, maybe win one of our awesome raffle prizes

Where? The NFMCA Golf tournament

The second annual Clash Charity Golf Scramble is set for June 17.

You will be contributing to a great organization. All proceeds are dedicated to the betterment of North Fort Myers

We invite you to like our Facebook page and visit our website, www nfmcivic com Questions? Email us at nfmclash2023@gmail com

North Fort Myers Civic Association is serious when it comes to community involvement and every dollar we raise through events and fundraisers goes right back into our great community whether it be helping a family in need or one of our many community givebacks

July is our Shoe Give Back month We will be donating new shoes to the children of North Fort Myers with help from our generous residents and

the pulse

businesses. We offer a dollar-for-dollar match program.

Last year we raised $1,150 to buy shoes for 22 school children to help alleviate back-to-school expenses for parents and to instill confidence in a child going back to school

We all remember that feeling of getting a new pair of shoes to start the year We hope you will join us in this endeavor.

Don’t forget to stay tuned for more information on our pickleball tournament coming in September. We will be updating you with more information soon

As you can see, we are busy planning events and givebacks We invite you to come to our monthly meeting held the second Tuesday of the month 6:30 p m at the North Fort Myers Recreation Center, located behind the NFM Library on Business

41

Our next meeting is June 13

We’ll leave the light on for you!

Safety at the gas station

Thefts at gas stations, across the United States, remain a concern for law enforcement Like many other crimes of opportunity, an unlocked vehicle with personal items in sight makes for a quick and easy target.

Whether you are simply distracted while pumping gas or inside paying, thieves wait for the opportunity to quickly open your vehicle door and grab anything and everything of value

Car thieves sit in waiting for the opportunity to occupy and steal a running and/or unlocked vehicle

Many elect to use their refueling time as an opportunity to catch up on missed text messages, lis-

tening to voice mail and returning phone calls

These distractions make one an easier target

Choosing well-lit fuel stations with surveillance cameras decrease the appeal to criminals.

Whenever possible, purchase fuel during daytime hours and do so from a station that offers significant visibility to the roadway Select a pump closest to the structure This increases your visibility to cashiers and staff that work inside Additionally, due to their proximity to the register, these pumps are generally free of skimming devices

Locking your vehicle doors and keeping valuables out of sight make it extremely difficult for thieves to enter your car or truck. Take your keys

with you do not leave them in the ignition or leave fobs on the seat

Be certain to terminate your credit card transaction, at the pump, prior to leaving and ensure that the pump handle is fully seated in order to complete your transaction

Avoid distractions Be observant and aware of your surroundings Take necessary precautions

Toni Hill President NFMCA Carmine Marceno, Lee County Sheriff

Tommy Bohanon Foundation celebrates fifth annual Playmaker’s Tailgate Party

Charity event raises $215K for programs benefitting SWFL at-risk youth

The Tommy Bohanon Foundation, a local nonprofit, is fulfilling its aspirations to change the lives of at-risk youth in the Southwest Florida community and surpassed its fundraising goal by raising approximately $215,000 at the fifth annual Playmaker ’s Tailgate Party in late March.

“We are so thankful for everyone who came out to support an amazing cause We were hoping to raise $200,000, and by exceeding that we can have an even greater impact on the children in need in

our community,” said former NFL player Tommy Bohanon, founder of the Tommy Bohanon Foundation. “Every year we strive to grow as an organization and in our community. Our mission is to ensure that kids throughout SWFL receive the opportunity

to partake in programs that will help them become more well-rounded individuals ”

At the March 31 Playmaker ’s Tailgate Party, held at the Ranch Concert Hall and Saloon, the Tommy Bohanon Foundation hosted a silent and live auction that raised approximately $215,000, which will go directly to programming, scholarships, and grants for local children Community leaders such as the Mayor of Fort Myers, Kevin Anderson, UFC Fighter Tito Ortiz, and various business leaders at-

tended the event.

At the event, $10,000 scholarships were awarded to three high school seniors, Sophia Cabrera, Olivia Cabrera, Fedrick Harris, and one recurring scholarship to Sofija Valancius, $40,000 over four years, to help them achieve success in continued education. Sophia will be attending Samford University and majoring in Journalism with a Public Relations Concentration; Olivia will be attending the University of Florida or Auburn University and majoring in Nutrition Sciences on the pre-med track; Fedrick plans to join the United States Army while pursuing a degree in Psychology with an emphasis on both Public and Mental Health and Sofija will be attending the University of Notre Dame majoring in Finance

Sponsors, called “playmakers,” were Nor-Tech Hi-Performance Boats, Lee County Sheriff's Office, Victory Layne Chevrolet, Cartwright and Sons Cabinetry, Lee Drywall, Titan Contracting LLC, Raymond Building Supply, Advanced Seamless Gutters, Personal Touch Catering, Florida Install, Taylor Carpet One Floor & Home, Arthur Printing, Pott’s Sports Cafe, CONRIC pr + marketing, Patriot Home Shutters, Tropical Smoothie Cafe, Garramone Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, Baystate Financial, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Specific Care Chiropractic, The Ranch Concert Hall & Saloon, Bright Ideas Trophies Awards, The Thomas Family Charitable Trust, Little Star 4D Ultrasound, Pioneer Print & Graphics, Custom Pools by Design, LCEC, Goliath Fishing, The Mackey Team Air Condition and Heating, My Shower Door, Wilbur Smith Attorneys at Law, Millennial Brewing Company, Quattrone & Associates Inc , and Barry Goettemoeller

RE/MAX Titan Contracting has been recognized as the Tommy Bohanon Foundation’s Premier Event Sponsor for being its largest sponsor, contributing to the foundation since 2020.

Comedian RC Smith was the host, giving a short comedy show before carrying out the activities for the night The event was catered by Personal Touch Catering, Wonderland Cookie Dough & Ice Cream, and Nothing Bundt Cakes, feeding the 250 attendees dinner and dessert, including several local business leaders from various industries who donated to the cause

To learn more about the Tommy Bohanon Foundation, visit TommyBohanonFoundation.org or con-

tact Katie Bohanon at 239-671-0441 or katie@tommybohanonfoundation org

Tommy Bohanon Foundation

The Tommy Bohanon Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting young athletes to reach their highest potential on and off the playing field. Former NFL fullback, Tommy Bohanon, returned to his hometown in

Southwest Florida to pursue his vision of ending generational poverty for at-risk youth The foundation funds annual scholarships, sports equipment grants to local high schools, youth football camps, seminars and programs, as well as funding for other local nonprofits For more information about the Tommy Bohanon Foundation, visit TommyBohanonFoundation.org or call 239-671-0441.

Tommy and Katie Bohanon, founders of Tommy Bohanon Foundation, and UFC Champion Tito Ortiz at the 2023 Playmaker ’s Tailgate Party Fundraiser

Hundreds attend annual Pioneer Picnic

Story & Photography

by Chuck Ballaro

Those who remember when Fort Myers ended at the corner of Cleveland Avenue and Winkler and when Daniels Parkway was a dirt road came to the Lee Civic Center on Saturday to get together with other long-timers

The 74th annual Lee County Pioneers Picnic was at its usual home this year at the Tinsley Pavilion

Pat Mann, president of the Pioneer Club of Lee County, said the day was all about enjoying some food and for people to remember the good old days and get reacquainted

“It’s to come pat each other on the back, give a hug and enjoy each other who they only see once a year,” Mann said “I have friends from Jacksonville and Naples who visited me last night who came just for this event ”

In the past, people have come from as far as Washington State and Alaska for the picnic. Allen Richardson came from Colorado this year, making him the person who had the longest trek

The oldest pioneer woman was Betty Anderson at age 94, while the oldest man and oldest person

overall was (again) Jim Sieple, 98 The couple married the longest was Earl and Helen Stanaland, 68 years

A requirement for the Pioneer Club is that you had to live in Lee County 50 years ago. Many of these people have lived here their entire lives and

remember a more bucolic Lee County, much of which has been supplanted by shopping centers, large resorts and concrete.

Rocky Lamp, North Fort Myers High School Class of '72, was a football star and remembered how Ron Hoover put the area on the map

“He used to write letters to us from the other teams and paint the stadium and blame the other school to get us fired up,” Lamp said “I was from Pine Island and sometimes we would hitchhike to school, which you can’t do now. It was a special time. The motivation of what kids do now has changed.”

Glenn Lawhon, a lifelong Lee County resident who lives in Olga, said Lee County was much better when he was a kid than it is now

“We had traffic issues on Fort Myers Beach because of the swing bridge, but back then it was slower paced and fun We could ride our bicycles across town and didn’t worry about it,” Glenn said. “Today, it’s so crowded that wherever you go, especially during the season, you don’t want to leave your house ”

His brother, Ken, was coming to the picnic for the first time and said he would come back He added that Fort Myers was not a tiny town, as it had everything most cities have, from car dealerships to a shopping mall

Earl and Helen Stanaland, who have been married 68 years , at the 74th annual Lee County Pioneers picnic at the Lee Civic Center.

Allen Richardson, who lives in Colorado, at the 74th annual Lee County Pioneers picnic at the Lee Civic Center.

Pat Mann, president of the Pioneer Club of Lee County, speaks at the 74th annual Lee County Pioneers picnic at the Lee Civic Center.

“It just wasn’t as packed as it is now. It was the perfect place to grow up. We didn’t realize how blessed we were until we looked back on that,” Ken said

Where the picnic will be in the future is more up in the air as its long-time home, the Lee County Civic Center complex on Bayshore Road near SR 31 faces an uncertain future The club is expected to discuss its options in the coming weeks and months. Mann said the only thing they know is that the 75th picnic will be held the last Saturday in April like it always has

Stan Ink, from the Fort Myers High School Class of 1949, helped design the Lee Civic Center, transforming it from when it was the Kickapoo Ranch to the complex it is now

“President Ford made an offer for $5 million for any city that could get something under construction in 90 days and we were able to do that,” Ink said. “We got a $5 million grant to build this.”

Ink said there was the feel of a small town back when he was a child

“There were 13,000 people in Lee County when I was in high school It was much quieter and less traffic We had one traffic light on First and Fowler,” Ink said “Many of the people lived off McGregor

Binnie Johnson was here when her grandfather ran the Coca-Cola plant on Cleveland Avenue until it was burned down from arson in 1996. She now lives east of LaBelle and owns her own cattle company

“My father started it on the old city dock and delivered it on horse and wagon He would haul eight cases a week and my mother would wash all the

bottles by hand,” Johnson said “It was great back then A great time to grow up ”

From left, Mary Middleton Robinson, Pam Symonds Robinson, Nancy Middleton Arotta and Eleanor Cummings Foerste at the 74th annual Lee County Pioneers picnic at the Lee Civic Center.

NFM arts organization reborn

Story by Chuck Ballaro

Lee County Arts Center has been reborn with a new name and a new mission

A new organization, the North Fort Myers Arts Association is ow official: It has its 501 c 3 designation and plans to take up the work of its predecessor, which disbanded shortly after the COVID epidemic

Judy Biddle, new president of the North Fort Myers Art League, said the group is working on its goals for the next year and beyond.

“We want to be a focus for the arts in the area, which is why we decided to identify where we are as the North Fort Myers Arts Association,” Biddle said

Biddle said they are not abandoning the Lee County name, as the area is rather large and they could be anywhere She said they wanted to identify the group as being in North Fort Myers.

She also said the organization will be all-encompassing in regards to art.

“Our focus is not just painting and jewelry making It’s every kind of art including writing, music, quilting, weaving, every kind of art will fall under this umbrella,” Biddle said

The organization started as the Lee County Arts Center in 2018 with high hopes, since the county wanted to focus the arts in North Fort Myers.

It held several Art Walks at the Hancock Bridge Square Plaza, with the first few being surprisingly successful However, interest dwindled and the Art Walks were moved to the Merchant’s Crossing Shopping Center

Then one of its board members, Mark Lipton, who was working to get the organization its non-profit status, died suddenly at the end of 2018

This left the group floundering a bit when the pandemic stopped everything in its tracks, forcing the Lee County Arts

Center to quietly fold

Rudy Brendlmeyer, who was in the original organization and will serve now as vice president, got together with Biddle at her home at Herons Glen to try to revive the organization

Slowly the wheels started turning. Before long, they had a group together and announced they were ready to get going at the North Fort Myers Civic Association meeting on April 11 after having all the legalities of becoming a non-profit be met

Biddle said they are looking for a location to set up shop They are looking at The Hope Chest in the short term and hope to go from there.

“There have been conversations with The Shell Factory, but a lot of questions have yet to be resolved,” Biddle said “We’ve been meeting to get everyone on the same page, establish a board, work on our goals and committees, outreach and fundraising ”

NFMNL

Players Circle marks last season at the Shell Factor y

Story by Chuck Ballaro

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As for the Shell Factory location, Cacioppo said it will be set up as a nightclub where comedians, bands and other entertainers can come to perform

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Zebra longwing butter flies vanished after Hur ricane Ian

Story & Photography

by Meghan Bradbury

Hurricane Ian created a tale of two butterflies the monarch butterfly thriving, while the zebra longwing butterfly, the state butterfly disappearing

"After the hurricane we have not seen the zebra longwing anywhere near us, " The Butterfly Estates curator Sherri Williams said. "I have lots of butterfly enthusiasts (friends) that have not seen them A friend of mine from Miami sent a few caterpillars to get them established here "

At the beginning of May the excitement has grown, as she said they have probably 45 zebra longwing butterflies flying inside the butterfly house.

"The females will lay like 400 eggs. I will have eggs to share, always for a donation. The donation helps us go buy plants to feed the ones we keep," she said of the caterpillars eating corkystem passionvine "I am really excited about the zebras I am getting quite a few eggs now "

Recovery efforts are also under way in Cape Coral

"They were wiped out in the hurricane," Tom Allen Memorial Butterfly House curator Cheryl Anderson said, adding that their host plant, the passionvine, was also wiped out "Since Hurricane Ian, we have seen one zebra longwing at the butterfly gardens "

Anderson said one flew by a couple months ago at Rotary Park after the hurricane She said more than likely the butterfly was still in its chrysalis, their suit of armor, which is tough and secure, during the hurricane. Unfortunately, she said there is very little passionvine for the butterfly to lay her eggs on, or a male butterfly to mate with to reproduce

The good news, Anderson said, is the zebra longwing butterflies have been spotted at the old golf course in Cape Coral

"There are zebras out there, caterpillars out there We need concentrated effort and we need the plants The health, wealth and volume of a butterfly depends on the wealth and health of the host plant," she said.

Anderson said they want to purchase the eggs, caterpillars and the passionvine plants The plants are very expensive now because they were wiped out by the storm

"We want to bring them back into the butterfly house and then surrounding the butterfly house," she said. "They didn't die all over Florida, just in this hur-

ricane zone. All the butterfly people and gardening people can get behind this effort Why don't we have humans be responsible for their comeback?"

The same thing happened after Hurricane Irma to the zebra longwings and it took a handful of years for them to return

Anderson said for the monarch butterflies, it was the complete opposite after Hurricane Ian. She said the main predator of the monarch is wasps.

"The wasps were wiped out in the hurricane," Anderson said, resulting in huge numbers of monarch caterpillars "One in 100 monarchs come to be a butterfly After the storm, instead of one in 100, there were 100 caterpillars and there wasn't anything out there to prey on them The balance got messed up It's starting to straighten out again "

This is good because overpopulation in every species leads to problems, Anderson said.

"Mother Nature doesn't tolerate it. Mother Nature doesn't tolerate overpopulation," she said

Williams said since Hurricane Ian they have taken in more than 500 monarch caterpillars from the community, as milkweed is dwindling in individual gardens from the influx of caterpillars

"We take caterpillar donations," she said, if people run out of food plants. "We protect and populate. We never turn down a caterpillar."

Giant swallowtail on a citrus tree, host plant.

Zebra longwing, the state butterfly, on a blue porterweed.

Starting your own butter fly garden

To h a v e a s u c c e s s f u l b u t t e r f l y g a rd e n , b o t h h o s t p l a n t s f o r t h e b u t t e r f l i e s e g g s a n d c a t e r p i l l a r s , a s w e l l a s n e c t a r p l a n t s t o f e e d t h e b u t t e r f l i e s a re n e e d e d " E a c h s p e c i e s o f b u t t e r f l i e s h a v e d i ff e re n t h o s t p l a n t s . M o s t e v e r y o n e c a n n e c t a r o n p e n t a , o r p o r t e r w e e d . T h o s e a re n e c t a r p l a n t s t h a t m a n y s p e c i e s u s e , " A n d e r s o n s a i d . Wi l l i a m s s a i d m i l k w e e d a n d p a s s i o n v i n e a re g re a t h o s t p l a n t s t a r t e r s a s t h e y w i l l a t t r a c t u p t o f i v e b u t t e r f l i e s T h e m i l k w e e d w i l l a t t r a c t t h e m o n a rc h b u t t e r f l y, a s w e l l a s q u e e n b u t t e r f l y, w h i l e t h e p a s s i o n v i n e ( c o r k y s t e m , o r m a y p o p ) w i l l a t t r a c t t h e J u l i a b u t t e r f l y, z e b r a l o n g w i n g b u tt e r f l y a n d g u l f f r i t i l l a r y b u t t e r f l y. " P l a n t h o s t p l a n t s i n t h e b a c k o f t h e g a rd e n a n d h a v e p re t t y f l o w e r s i n f ro n t o f i t , " Wi l l i a m s s a i d , a s w h e n t h e h o s t p l a n t s a re c h e w e d d o w n t o t h e s t e m s t h e y w i l l b e h i d d e n b y t h e f l o w e r s

S m a l l f l o w e r s a re g re a t f o r t h e b u t t e r f l i e s , s u c h a s p o r t e r w e e d , l a n t a n a , p e n t a s , s a l v i a , f i re b u s h a n d s w e e t a l m o n d

A l l N a t i v e G a rd e n C e n t e r, N u r s e r y & L a n ds c a p e s O ff i c e M a n a g e r B e c k y A d a m s re c o m m e n d s t h re e n e c t a r p l a n t s a s g re a t a d d i t i o n s t o a b u t t e r f l y g a rd e n . S h e s a i d a l t h o u g h t h e s c a r l e t p e n t a i s n o t n a t i v e , i t i s F l o r i d a f r i e n d l y a n d a g re a t b u t t e r f l y a t t r a c t a n t

I n a d d i t i o n , t h e s c o r p i o n t a i l w o r k s w e l l i n t h e s h a d e a n d s p re a d s w e l l S h e s a i d t h e s m a l l e r b u tt e r f l i e s e n j o y i t s n e c t a r

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c a l m i l k w e e d l a s t s f o r a b o u t a y e a r a n d a h a l f b ef o re t h e p l a n t h a s t o b e re p l a c e d T h e y a re s t i l l rec e i v i n g c o r k y s t e m p a s s i o n v i n e , a s t h e y p u rc h a s e t h e p l a n t f ro m a n u r s e r y a f e w h o u r s n o r t h o f F o r t M y e r s T h r i f t y G a rd e n G a rd e n a s s i s t a n t S h a e H i l l s a i d t h e y h a v e a n a b u n d a n c e o f n e c t a r f l o w e r i n g p l a n t s , s u c h a s z i n n i a s , p i n k c o s m o s , s a l v i a , t ro p ic a l s a g e , s w e e t a l m o n d a n d s c o r p i o n t a i l T h e y a l s o h a v e h o s t p l a n t s , s u c h a s c o o n t i e , t ro p i c a l m i l k w e e d , d u t c h m a n p i p e , p a s s i o n v i n e a n d s o m e h e r b s f o r t h e s w a l l o w t a i l b u t t e r f l i e s

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1 0 a m t o 2 p m

The top Native plants in Florida 2022

The secret to a thriving and sustainable garden? Native plants! These amazing specimens are perfectly adapted to their local environment, and form symbiotic relationships with the wildlife that inhabits that area So, not only will your garden be a lush oasis, but it will also be teeming with life

And the best part? Each state has its own unique preference for native plants.

Garden for Wildlife has uncovered the top picks in Florida:

• Scarlet Sage

• Cardinal Flower

• Blazing Star

With keystone plants that will support the most wildlife, these plants are perfect for part-shade in a garden or container

And in 2022, milkweed was the best-seller across the US, and for good reason. With the monarch butterfly now on the IUCN Red List, the survival of this incredible species rests on our shoulders. The good news is, you can help Milkweed is the only host plant for the monarch caterpillar, and there's a native species available for every state in the US By planting milkweed in your own garden, you can provide a vital lifeline for these magnificent creatures

Help Florida wildlife and enjoy the beauty of nature when you add these native plant collections outside your home

Source: Garden for Wildlife

Polydamas swallowtail laying eggs on a Dutchman pipe, its host plant.

Gulf fritillary butterfly on a blue porterweed. Zebra longwing laying an egg on a corkystem passion vine, its host plant.

Monarch drinking nectar from a lantana.

Butter fly nurseries:

• All Native Garden Center, Nursery & Landscape

Address: 300 Center Road, Fort Myers

Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday

Info: (239) 939-9663, www NoLawn com

• Thrifty Garden

Address: 1815 Fowler St , Fort Myers

Hours:

day through Sunday

Info: (239) 202-0221

• The Garden Shoppe

Address: 2350 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers

Hours: 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily

Info: (239) 334-7410 www edisonfordwinterestates org

• Natives of Corkscrew Nursery

Address: 13321 Peace Road, Buckingham

Hours:

Where to see Florida butter flies

The Butterfly Estates began in 2009 before becoming a nonprofit organization in 2012. Williams said they raise Florida native butterflies, which is usually around 14 different species Those include the pipevine swallowtail, spicebush swallowtail, polydamas swallowtail, giant swallowtail, white peacock, great southern white, monarch, queen, julia, zebra longwing, gulf fritillary, atala, orange barred sulphur and the malachite

"We hand raise everything ourselves," she said "We have a host plant for each species of butterflies We collect the eggs every day and we raise the eggs "

The Butterfly Estates has an ongoing atala project to help the species grow. Williams said those who would like to bring the small butterfly to their garden can drop off a coontie plant near the estate's colony She said they will call the person once eggs are deposited

The atala butterflies lay eggs on new growth, as the baby caterpillars have an easier time chewing through the new leaves.

"The atala is an amazing little butterfly We are trying to get them populated," Williams said, adding that the estate's colony did well through Hurricane Ian, which has been going on for three years now

Williams said the colony she began at Butterfly Estates has spread throughout all of Downtown Fort Myers from their property to down-

town and to Edison & Ford Winter Estates. She said the coonties have all stages of life.

"I hope they stay here forever I am so proud of that," she said

The Butterfly Estates' mission is to preserve and protect the Florida butterflies, while spreading the knowledge with those who visit

"Any section of our garden can be duplicated in your own backyard," Williams said of the butterfly host and nectar plants

With that said, since The Butterfly Estates is a glass house that becomes pretty humid, the flowers within can sustain a great deal of humidity

"We do need to keep enough nectar for our butterflies," which includes such flowers as pentas, salvia, porterweed, firebush and sweet almond bush

Anderson said the Butterfly House was originally built in 2010 for a burrowing owl festival Unfortunately the wooden structure started to rot and come apart Seven, or eight years ago, she said they started a campaign to create a concrete foundation with now two sets of screen

The first screen is regular lanai screen covered by half inch square metal hardware cloth to keep out varmints This butterfly house also features native Florida butterflies, which changes.

"From time to time we have different species," she said.

NFMNL

Info: (239) 295-6757, www nativeofcorkscrew com

• Scott's Landscape Nursery

Address: 5870 Bayshore Road, North Fort Myers

Hours: 8 a.m. to 5

Info: (239) 599-4071, https://scottslandscapenursery com/

Butter fly Gardens:

• The Shell Factory and Nature Park

Address: 16554 N Cleveland Avenue, North Fort Myers

Hours: 10 a m to 6 p m daily for the Nature Park

Info: (239) 995-2141, www shellfactory com

• Tom Allen Memorial Butterfly House

Address: Rotary Park, 5505 Rose Garden Road, Cape Coral

Hours: Monday, Friday and Saturday at 10:30 a.m.

Info: ccfriendsofwildlife org/tom-allen-memorial-butterfly-garden/

• Cape Coral Public Library

Address: 921 S W 39th Terrace

Hours: 9 a m to 8 p m Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday; 9 a m to 6 p m Thursday; 9 a m to 5 p m Friday and Saturday

Info: (239) 533-4500

• The Butterfly Estates

Address: 1815 Fowler Street, Fort Myers

Hours: As of May 1: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.

Admission: $10; $1 discount for 65 and older; college student with ID $8; military with ID free; 3 to 7 years old $7; free for under three years old

Info: (239) 690-2359, www butterflyestates com

• Lakes Park

Address: 7330 Gladiolus Drive, Fort Myers

Hours: 7 a m to dusk

Admission: $1 an hour parking

Info: lakespark.org, (239) 533-7578, www.gardenclubofcapecoral.com/projects/butterflygarden/

• Calusa Nature Center & Planetarium

Address: 3450 Ortiz Ave , Fort Myers

Hours: 10 a m to 4 p m Tuesday through Sunday

Admission: $10 adults; $5 children, free for members

Info: (239) 275-3435, www calusanature org

• Peace River Botanical & Sculpture Gardens

Address: 5827 Riverside Dr , Punta Gorda

Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, through Sunday

Admission: Seniors $15; Adults $18; 6 to 17 years old $9 and free for 5 and younger Info: (941) 621-8299, www peacerivergardens org

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