Butterfly Estates

There was a segment on the morning news a couple of weeks ago about this place so we decided to check it out.  It is a non profit entity, located in Ft. Myers, that grows and releases native Florida butterflies.

It's a working greenhouse and it was FULL of butterflies.  We were told that once the number gets around 400, they release some.  They collect the eggs from the host plants every day.  They have special areas, with host plants, where the caterpillars eat and turn into chrysalis.  They are then moved into another area where the chrysalis hang and hatch, then the new butterflies are moved into another section, where their wings dry, eventually being moved into the greenhouse.  I wish I had taken pictures of these, it was quite interesting.  Although I'm familiar with the monarch chrysalis, I had never seen some of the ones here, which actually look like dried leaves.

We were told that they live for 2 - 4 weeks.

Malachite Siproeta Stelenes

lunch

There was a nice koi pond and a stream that ran through the area.  I thought this turtle was a decoration until it moved.

Yellow Shrimp plant

Zebra Longwing, FL state butterfly

Spicebush Swallowtail

This is the best butterfly "house" we've been in; it was teeming with butterflies.  We enjoyed it so much, we walked around twice.

Thanks for stopping by...

;o)