GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Visitors are invited to flutter, flap and frolic at the Florida Museum of Natural History’s ninth annual ButterflyFest from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 4.

The free event features live butterfly releases, butterfly gardening workshops and one of the museum’s largest plant sales of the year. The three-day sale from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 3-5 includes more than 150 species and 2,500 plants.

“ButterflyFest is one of the museum’s signature events and fun for everyone,” said Florida Museum public programs coordinator Catherine Carey. “There is something for the serious and casual gardener, as well as families, scouts and students.”

The event celebrates the importance of backyard wildlife with an emphasis on pollinators like butterflies, bees and birds by providing family-friendly activities and presentations. This year’s theme is “Wings, Wildlife and Biodiversity.” The festival also features a children’s activity area, entertainment and food and merchandise vendors.

Festival attendees may march in costume at the Pollinator Parade, watch the University of Florida juggling club Objects in Motion and hear the Howard Bishop Middle School Band perform. Visitors may also speak with representatives from nonprofit groups including the North American Butterfly Association, Lubee Bat Conservancy and the McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year.

“Since the McGuire Center opened to the public in August 2004, it has grown tremendously to include one of the largest and most comprehensive research collections of moths and butterflies on the planet,” said Jaret Daniels, Florida Museum associate curator for Lepidoptera and McGuire Center director. “ButterflyFest celebrates this accomplishment as well as the tremendous biological, societal and research importance of these beautiful winged creatures.”

The Florida Museum also hosts special workshops in conjunction with ButterflyFest for photographers looking to capture the ideal butterfly image. Pre-registration is required for the “Picture Perfect Photography Workshop” from 8 to 9:30 a.m. Oct. 4-5, which allows participants to photograph inside the “Butterfly Rainforest” before it opens to the public with equipment not generally permitted inside the exhibit. Museum employees also are available to help stage photos with newly emerged butterflies. The workshop is $25 for museum members and $28 for non-members, and the fee includes admission to the exhibit. Participants must be at least 18 years old.

ButterflyFest activities and presentations are free, but normal admission applies to the “Butterfly Rainforest” exhibit: $10.50 for adults ($9 Fla. residents, seniors and college students) and $6 for ages 3 to 17. Admission is free for museum members and UF students with a valid Gator 1 card. Although visitors may pay with cash, credit card or debit card for plants, they are encouraged to bring cash as there is no ATM available on-site.

For more information, visit www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/butterflyfest/ or call 352-273-2061.

-30-

Writer: Rosanna Del Cioppo, rdelcioppo@ufl.edu
Source: Catherine Carey, ccarey@flmnh.ufl.edu, 352-273-2064
Media Contact: Paul Ramey, pramey@flmnh.ufl.edu, 352-273-2054