From a Volenteers Eyes

So, now that we’re on our seventh entry on the blog, you guys may be asking yourselves, “What’s it like volunteering at the Butterfly House? When did it first open? How long has the Flight Attendant been there?” If so, you’re either simply curious or you’re a stalker.

Don't make me use this.

The Butterfly House has been open for four years, and I’ve been volunteering there since it first opened.  Volunteering usually goes something like this:

1. Arrive at Butterfly House
2. Previous volunteer leaves
3. Start shift – check to make sure that there are plenty of sugar sticks and that the microscopes and monitors are focused
4. Close up - Closing up involves turning off the water valves and fans, closing the caterpillar containers, changing the ‘Open’ sign to closed, locking up, and bringing the tickets up to the Visitor’s center. Opening up in the morning appears to be similar to closing up, but I’ve never worked a morning shift so I can’t be sure.

Pictured: Me at 10:00 in the morning

The other volunteers also work quite hard, and it’s very helpful to work together to deal with everyone when a large group of people come in at the same time. For example, one of us can help identify a butterfly or plant while another attendant introduces the people who just came in. By doing this, we can keep everyone informed and attend to everyone’s needs without being completely overwhelmed.

Speaking of which, there are several things we volunteers try to do to assist the visitors.

•  Introduce people if they haven’t been here before and remind them to turn in their tickets.
• Help with identifying butterflies, chrysalises, caterpillars, plants and anything else they may have questions about.
• Show people the best way to get a butterfly on a sugar stick. 
• Answer any questions they may have about Beech Creek or the house itself.
• Remind people not to step up on the bricks or in the gardens.

Occasionally we will also try to capture butterflies that come to our gardens to place inside the house. One of us will go outside for a few minutes and bring whatever they catch inside. We aren’t very picky, but there are some species we favor over others. Any skippers (save for Silver Spotteds) are usually kept outside, as are Monarchs (due to disease and the overabundance of them we have in the house). We also will not usually bring in a species that we don’t have in the House already due to them not being able to breed.

I hope you've enjoyed this little insight. And if you didn't, please remember that I know where you live.

Seriously.

Monarch Caterpillar Defense

When threatened, Monarch caterpillars will curl up into a ball to hide from predators. Even when they're almost ready to chrysalis.

"They can't see you if you don't move!" "That's T. Rexs." "Oh."

Butterfly Mating

Butterfly Mating: You're doing it wrong.