Butterflies to usher in spring at the Franklin Park Conservatory

Visitors at the Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens will soon be able to go butterfly-watching in the park’s Pacific Island Water Garden biome. Credit: Courtesy of the Franklin Park Conservatory

Butterflies currently in their chrysalises will soon take flight as part of the Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens’ Blooms & Butterflies exhibition.

The annual exhibition, which will take place in the conservatory’s Pacific Island Water Garden, will run from Feb. 26 to May 30 and feature an array of nectar blooms and butterflies, according to the conservatory’s website. Bonnie DeRubertis, associate director of exhibitions for the conservatory, said during the exhibition there are more than 700 chrysalises from 30 different butterfly species that come into the park each week.

“It is truly a crowd favorite exhibition that we continue presenting in order to tell different stories of the butterflies,” DeRubertis said.

The chrysalises arrive at the conservatory, located at 1777 E. Broad St., from domestic farms as well as ones located in Central and South America, she said.

“One of these butterflies that we receive and is always a crowd favorite is the blue morpho,” DeRubertis said. “It has such bright and colorful wings.”

Kady Murzin, exhibitions developer for the conservatory, said the Pacific Island Water Garden biome is the largest of four biomes at the park and will offer a comfortable home to its inhabitants.

“This is a very warm space, with plants native to this tropical biome at a variety of heights, also mixed in with permanent artwork from Dale Chihuly,” Murzin said.

The Blooms & Butterflies exhibition, along with the addition of even more plants native to the Pacific Islands and glasswork from Chihuly, has helped turn the biome into what it is now, Murzin said.

“It is really cool to walk down the stairway, not only seeing the butterflies intermingle with each other and the native plants, but also interact with the work of Chihuly throughout the garden,” Murzin said.

The Blooms & Butterflies exhibition has taken place since 1994 but was canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic, DeRubertis said. Despite reintroducing the exhibition this year, the conservatory had to make changes to accommodate for the pandemic and will not offer live daily butterfly releases as they have in past years, she said.

By not having the live release and requiring visitors to wear masks, DeRubertis said guests — particularly students — can expect a safe environment that will allow them to find a warm place of respite during a sometimes difficult season.

“Students really have the opportunity to seek an escape in such a unique tropical oasis in the Pacific Island Water Garden, as it provides warmth and sunlight to the cold dreary temperature of Ohio during this time of year,” DeRubertis said.

The conservatory is currently featuring its annual Orchids exhibition as well, which is on display in the Dorothy M. Davis Showhouse until March 6, according to the conservatory’s website.

Admission to the Blooms & Butterflies exhibition will be free with general admission tickets, which can be purchased on the conservatory’s website.