The Butterflies are Back… Butterflies Alive!

Butterflies Alive is a once-ina-lifetime experience for the whole family that you won’t want to miss! Butterflies Alive brings the magical experience of a wild butterfly encounter up close and personal, providing you and your family with the thrilling experience of being surrounded by not a single butterfly, but hundreds of butterflies and moths flying freely and closely. Contained within a nearly 3,000 square foot garden enclosure, flowering plants, trees, and ornate decorative features create an inspiring and mesmeriz ing atmosphere.

Upon entering the “Flight House”, or the greenhouse structure that contains the but terflies, moths, and flower ing plants, one may spot a Zebra Longwing butterfly busily flying in search of a flower’s nectar meal, or perhaps an Atlas Moth (one of the largest moth species in the world) roosting in anticipation of the evening’s approach. The well-known Monarch butterfly will be easily found most days and is a central theme of the garden. Butterflies Alive brings these beautiful winged insects to life before your eyes as never before.

A “Pupae Emergence House” is a welcome feature of the exhibit, and is where new butterflies and moths emerge safely before being released into the Flight House (new butterflies are added every week). Viewing windows into the inner chamber ensure that every visitor will get a chance to see a butterfly or moth emerge from its chrysalis. If you’re patient, you may just catch a Red Admiral drying her wings after her emergence. Daily releases, performed by Science Spectrum staff, into the Flight

House are an added bonus not to be missed.

Also, children and families won’t want to miss the Butterfly Maze where they can experience the life cycle and transformation of a butterfly from caterpillar to adult. Then play games to find food and avoid predators like a butterfly, as well as learn to crawl like a caterpillar.

Also available for guests is the Butterfly Maze and showings of the "Flight of the Butterflies" film. Butterflies Alive will be open now through June 11 with extended hours until 6 p.m. during spring break this week and March 11March 19 for eastern New Mexico. More information about the exhibit and Science Spectrum is available through its website at www.sciencespectrum.org (806) 745-6299.