As a mass butterfly migration made its way through California this week, Cincinnati was preparing for an invasion of its own: Starting March 23 and running through June 16, the Krohn Conservatory will welcome back its annual butterfly show for the Butterflies of Ecuador.
If you’re familiar with the delight of spotting a single butterfly out in nature, prepare to experience the marvel of being surrounded by no less than 12,000 of these exotic, winged beauties in every color of the rainbow.
This year, the popular extravaganza will celebrate the biological diversity of Ecuador, which is home to around 4,000 different butterfly species. Drawing inspiration from the butterflies’ South American country of origin, the exhibit is curated for visitors to get familiar with Ecuador’s “four worlds in one” through the representation of different climate regions, its coastal beaches and Andes mountains to the Galapagos Islands and the rainforests of the Amazon. (As an ode the llamas that roam freely through the Andes, you might spy a cut out of one of these large furry creatures hiding in the foliage along with the butterflies.)
The exhibit coincides with a long list of other special events at Krohn Conservatory, including the Daffodil Show April 13-14; Botany and Brews May 10, featuring the release of a limited-edition Woodburn Brewery beer made with passionfruit grown in the conservatory; an Ecuadorian vendor and crafts market May 11-12; Breakfast with Butterflies June 8; and Photographer Nights on Monday evenings April 15-May 20.
Arrive with your cameras, your sense of wonder and brightly-colored shirt. If you’re lucky (and stand very, very still) one of these dazzling insects might just find you to be a suitable place to rest for a moment or two.
Butterflies of Ecuador: 10 a.m.- 5 p.m March 23-June 16. $10 adults; $7 youth 5-17; free children 4 and under. Krohn Conservatory, 1501 Eden Park Drive, butterflyshow.com.
This article appears in Mar 20-27, 2019.
