NORFOLK, Va. — Norfolk Botanical Garden's Butterfly House was recently named the best butterfly garden in the country, winning the title over 18 other nominees in a USA Today poll.
Fresh off winning the exciting honor and ahead of the Butterfly House's opening this summer, I went to Norfolk Botanical Garden for a tour.
“Because it’s all native species that you would see here in Virginia, we’re able to allow them to be on display throughout their entire life cycle,” said Alex Cantwell, an educator at the Norfolk Botanical Garden. “You can see the caterpillars, the eggs, the chrysalises, and the butterflies, which is pretty unique.”
She continued, “Right now, we have the pipeline swallowtails, and you can see the diversity in the colors of their chrysalises. What’s really cool about this is that we get to let folks see up close when they emerge.”
I asked Alex why the chrysalises from the same species were different colors when the butterfly itself is blue.
“Sometimes, the chrysalis can vary depending on what it's formed on,” she explained. “So if it’s formed on a green stem, it will be green, or if it forms on the brown branch of a tree, it will be brown, so it’s a little more camouflaged.”
As the summer heats up, this butterfly base camp will fill up with more than 25 species of winged wonders.
“It can be an individual experience or a family experience. We also have a lot of photographers that come through. There’s something for everybody,” Cantwell said.
The top-rated butterfly exhibit at the Norfolk Botanical Garden is a magical, immersive experience and positively Hampton Roads.
The exhibit opens June 15 and is included in your admission fee into the park. For more information, click here.
