Locally every year the Franklin Park Conservatory hosts its Blooms and Butterflies exhibit which showcases tropical flowers and foliage with hundreds of butterflies from more than 100 species from around the world. This year’s exhibit opens on March 9.
The public is invited to “Come celebrate the emergence of hundreds of butterflies in the Pacific Island Water Garden with opening day activities, including the popular Members Fly First butterfly release, and, new this year, the Brazilian Carnival Family Fun. Magnificent butterflies and tropical blooms brighten even the rainiest days of spring, so come witness the metamorphoses, enjoy daily butterfly releases, and participate in the many activities taking place at the Conservatory.”
Blooms and Butterflies Opening Day Activities:
Members Fly First: 9 - 11 a.m.
Conservatory members have the exclusive opportunity to launch the 18th annual
Blooms & Butterflies by choosing and releasing their own butterfly into the Pacific
Island Water Garden. Price per butterfly: $5.
Quantities are limited and reservations are required: call 614.645.5617
or email membership@fpconservatory.org.
Brazilian Carnival Family Fun: 9:30 a.m.–1 p.m.
Kids create elaborate crowns or masks, get a butterfly tattoo or face paint and participate in a carnival parade at 1:30 p.m. Create spin art and sand art ($2).
Kristina Isabelle Dance Company performs the Uneven Tango—11 a.m. & 2 p.m.
This unique family-friendly performance combines contemporary dance with a stilt and trapeze acts.
Visitors can take the exhibition home. Painted Lady butterfly larvae are available for purchase in Botanica.
Free with admission
Daily Butterfly Releases: 1 p.m. & 3 p.m.
A Conservatory staff member or volunteer will release butterflies daily in the Pacific c
Island Water Garden as they share fun facts and provide a close-up look at these beautiful creatures.
The process of metamorphosis that butterflies and other organisms undergo, reminds us of a similar spiritual process called “renewing the mind.” Christians are instructed not to be conformed but to be transformed by the renewing of their minds (Romans 12:1). The New Testament phrase is translated from the Greek word metamorphoo, from which the English word metamorphosis is derived. The phrase is also used to express that as believers strive to manifest more of Christ in their lives, they are also “changed” into the same image:
And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image. (2 Corinthians 3:18)
Butterflies, as they undergo metamorphosis, are transformed from egg to larva or caterpillar to chrysalis (cocoon) to butterfly (adult). Christian believers also continually undergo a similar spiritual transformation as they mature in Christ, expressed poetically in this way:
Death to the Caterpillar
Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.
John 12:24
What is death to the caterpillar we call a butterfly — Anonymous
From the dark of earth new life stems from seeds once sown.
Despite the pain of loss and our questioning why,
From the source of life this eternal truth is shown:
“Death to the caterpillar we call a butterfly.”
Creation travails until the sons of God appear;
No longer conformed, we have at last been set free,
As every Kingdom mystery is now made clear,
Totally transformed into glorious liberty.
Triumphant in the race we desired to win:
From victory to victory and glory to glory,
We see that power to change comes from within,
As we write another chapter of our life’s story.
The final stage of glory reveals this result:
Transformed from egg to larva to pupa to adult.
The accompanying video shows a time-lapse of the life cycle of a monarch butterfly.
Click here to view a slide show featuring photos of a number of butterflies from the Blooms and Butterflies exhibit taken by Curtis Blake Photography.
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