Butterfly Garden

   On a recent trip to Indianapolis my daughter and I visited the Indianapolis Zoo. 
   We never even looked at the animals, it was all about the gardens. The Conservatory, the Butterfly Garden,  is a national known attraction.

There are special doors with attendants to keep the tropical butterflies in the tropical garden.  The season for the butterflies is from March till November.   
Then, the air in the greenhouse is filled with butterflies amongst the croton, orchids, banana trees and other tropical plants.. 
   Senior Butterfly Keeper, Velda, is in charge of feeding the butterflies and she shared information with us.

Adult butterflies consume only liquids ingested through the proboscis. Besides the nectar from

flowers they feed on a concoction made for them.  1 can beer, 1 12 oz. can Gatorade, ½ cup sugar mixed together.  This is put in shallow dishes with brightly colored stones for them to rest on while they are drinking.  At the peak of the season one can observe as many a 2500 butterflies at one time, with as many as 40 different types in the 5000 square foot conservatory.

   They also feed on over-ripe fruit. 

The Julia butterfly likes salt

   There is another butterfly garden for native insects.  Monarchs, with their orange and black wings are one of the most easily recognized and common to us.
   Butterflies go through the 4 stage insect life cycle; the egg, the caterpillar , (larvae), the chrysalis and finally the butterfly.  Butterflies, bees, hummingbirds and bats are all necessary pollinators.
   It is a symbol of new life in the Christian sector.  I recall the large butterfly my husband painted that hung from the ceiling of our church at Easter.