See Butterflies Take Flight in Phipps Conservatory’s Butterfly Forest, Opening Saturday

For Immediate Release: Wed., April 18

Contact: Julie LaBar ǀ Director of Marketing and Communications
412/622-6915, ext. 3801 ǀ jlabar@phipps.conservatory.org

 

See Butterflies Take Flight in Phipps Conservatory’s Butterfly Forest, Opening Saturday
Fluttering pollinator friends and their favorite blooms return to Phipps during a weekend of fun Earth Day Celebration activities.

Pittsburgh, PA — Marvel as colorful butterflies break free of their chrysalises to soar and glide among the blooms at Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. A family favorite, Butterfly Forest enchants visitors of all ages while showcasing the delicate life cycle of some of nature’s most important pollinators and their favorite aromatic blooms. Butterfly Forest opens Sat., April 21 during Phipps’ Earth Day Celebration, a weekend filled with specially-themed Discovery Programs, activities, interactive presentations and more. Activities are included with Phipps admission and require no advance registration.

In Butterfly Forest, guests will stroll along a winding forest path over a bridge, past ponds and through a tunnel to discover beautiful butterflies taking flight, experiencing these delicate winged creatures’ natural behaviors as they flutter, eat and rest inside the glasshouse. Guests can get up-close views of dozens of different butterfly species surrounded by the plants that provide them with nectar, see live metamorphoses as butterflies transform and emerge from their chrysalises, and delight in the butterflies' diverse array of vivid colors, shapes, sizes, patterns and motions.

Guests are encouraged to see how many butterfly species they can identify as they explore the garden, watching for black swallowtail, buckeye, giant swallowtail, great southern white, Julia longwing, monarch, painted lady, Palamedes swallowtail, pipevine swallowtail, Polydamas swallowtail, red admiral, queen, tiger swallowtail, white peacock, zebra longwing and more. If visitors take their time and move slowly, one of these beauties might even land on their shoulders!

Celebrate with Phipps during the opening of this breathtaking exhibit while participating in family-friendly Earth Day activities highlighting important connections with nature. Phipps’ Earth Day Celebration activities include:

Sat., April 21:

• Eco-Artist Earth Day Crafts — Children are invited to engage in nature-inspired arts-and-crafts projects using natural and recyclable materials to create their very own Earth Day masterpiece (10 a.m. – 4 p.m.)
• Meet a Scientist — Explore the exciting world of scientific discovery by meeting our Science Communications Fellows and learning about their fascinating work (1:30 – 3:30 p.m.)

Sun., April 22:

• Pollinator Pot-a-Plant — Kids can pot their own pollinator-friendly plant to care for at home (10 a.m. – 4 p.m.)
• Discovery Station: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle — Get helpful tips and information on how to reduce waste and recycle at home (10 a.m. – 4 p.m.)

Plus, guests can tour the Center for Sustainable Landscapes — one of the greenest buildings in the world — at 1 p.m. each day and switch their home electricity to 100% green power while earning a free Phipps membership in the Make the Switch at Phipps! Green Power Drive.

For more information and a complete schedule of events, visit phipps.conservatory.org. Hours are 9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily and until 10 p.m. on Fridays. Admission is $17.95 for adults, $16.95 for seniors and students, and $11.95 for children 2 – 18. Members and kids under 2 enter free.

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About Phipps: Founded in 1893, Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in Pittsburgh, Pa. is a green leader among public gardens with a mission to inspire and educate all with the beauty and importance of plants; to advance sustainability and promote human and environmental well-being through action and research; and to celebrate its historic glasshouse. Phipps commemorates its 125th anniversary throughout 2018, celebrating its historic past, vibrant present and exciting future ahead — including inspiring seasonal flower shows, community events, public programs and groundbreaking green innovation. Learn more at phipps.conservatory.org.

Photos © Paul g. Wiegman