At the tail end of winter each year the arrival of butterflies reminds us that spring is almost upon us. Butterflies are inactive during cold months, so the warming weather begins anew the butterfly’s cycle of birth, metamorphosis and breeding.
Until March 1, Everland invites us to behold butterfly beauty in a specially created indoor environment.
Too many to count
Throughout the month of February, around 1,000 butterflies of 6 different varieties, including the tiger swallowtail, black swallowtail emerald, and great eggfly will be fluttering daintily through the flowers of Everland’s Butterfly Garden.
As well as beholding butterflies in flight, curious visitors can observe them eating nectar – these insects have an all-liquid diet – and laying eggs, which resemble tiny grains of white rice. From the eggs hatch caterpillars that wriggle around eating leaves and vegetation until they are ready to build a cocoon around themselves. Inside that tiny house, the caterpillar transforms into an adult butterfly, growing wings, legs and antennae.
Children can watch the life cycle from egg through caterpillar to butterfly from close up, both in real life and on video screens. They can also feed butterflies by applying nectar onto paper flowers, which the insects suck up through their long proboscises.
A photo exhibition of close-up pictures of butterflies’ eyes, mouth and wings has also been prepared, making Butterfly Garden the ideal late winter vacation learning experience.
You can also watch a gray-veined white butterfly larva hatching from its egg and a black swallowtail emerald emerging from its cocoon in the video below.
Naturally, Everland follows all relevant social distancing measures and infection transmission prevention guidelines for the safety of all visitors.
