The Bill Roston Butterfly House at Close Memorial Park has been humming with activity since May. Actually the hum is more a murmur of amazed children and adults, seeing the whole life cycle of butterflies up close and personal. Frequently they can see this on a single plant as a butterfly flutters between heads to deposit eggs on a plant all ready hosting several instars of caterpillars.
Occasionally an excited child will point out a new emergence from one of the many moth cocoons or butterfly chrysalis in the house.
Master Naturalists have been heavily involved this year in the project. Many listed below have served as docents in the house during weekly hours of operation. Others have manned the Caterpillar Petting Zoo and Lifecycle stations during the Butterfly Festival. Also some such as Buck and Charley have risked death and injury (well then, maybe ticks and chiggers) while tromping through the wild collecting fresh butterflies for the house.
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| Hands on Experience |
The House is open weekends from 10 AM to 6 PM, Tuesday and Wednesday 5:00 to dark, and to groups by appointment (860-8272). For more information got to
Thanks to the following MN crew:
Rose Atchley, Doris Ewing, Caryn Fox, Carl and Janet Haworth, Karolyn V. Holdren, Sue Jeffery, Connie Johnson, Buck Keagy, Barb and Bob Kipfer, Steve and Linda Kittle, Joe Kleiber, Marlyss Simmons, Carol Snyder and Sherryl Walker.
