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Summer Takes Flight
5/1/2010

Airlie has on display Summer Takes Flight, The Airlie Butterfly House, a seasonal native butterfly exhibit housed in a 2500 sq. ft. screened Butterfly House. Open daily and free with regular garden admission.

 You’ll see several different species of butterflies like the Painted Lady, Gulf Fritillary and Red Admiral to name a few. The Butterfly House is laden with plant species our horticulturists have specifically tailored to serve as the butterflies' thriving habitat. Airlie Gardens spent over 3 years developing and raising funds for the 3,000 square-foot, permanent open-air native Butterfly House. This facility will be a major new attraction for the area and open to all visitors. Our Environmental Education department developed programming for visitors and schoolchildren to help understand the lifecycles of butterfly you see in the house as well as in your own backyard. As part of our programming, Airlie educators and volunteers will rear butterflies on site in order to supply the house with live specimens. A specialized display case is on display in our main building to showcase the emergence of butterflies from their chrysalises. Our Environmental Educators are working in partnership with New Hanover County Schools and PPD to incorporate a butterfly life-cycle curriculum for our Schoolchildren. The Butterfly House cost approximately $367,000, all privately funded.