by David Cohen
Love vibrant color and stunning design? Marvel at the magic of nature? Go crazy over butterflies? Then April 18 is your day!
Walk into “hundreds of brilliant live butterflies from North America, Costa Rica, Africa and Asia…” Discover “their amazing metamorphosis, the important role butterflies play in healthy ecosystems, and how to ensure these beautiful insects thrive in our own gardens.” The quotes come from the website for the “Wings of Fancy Live Butterfly & Caterpillar Exhibit” at Brookside Gardens.
The 2018 season begins April 18 and runs through September 16. The butterflies mingle with the visitors in the Brookside Gardens South Conservatory, roughly a 15-minute drive from Forest Hills DC.
Conservatory Technician Cheryl Beagle generously identified four specimens that I photographed last season, on September 3, 2017:
A Red Lacewing male, Cethosia biblis, from Asia. (all photos © David Cohen, davidcohenphotodc.com)
Royal Blue, Myscelia cyanosis, from Central and South America.
Leopard Lacewing female, Cethosia cyane, from Asia.
Blue Morpho, Morpho peleides, from Central and South America.
They’re a small sample of an astonishing array!
Brookside Gardens is at 1500 Glenallan Avenue, Wheaton, MD 20902. Its website provides extensive visitor information, including hours, ticket prices, parking, and telephone numbers.
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