Nathan's Notes - Reiman Gardens

I don’t do this very often, but every once in a while there is just something so amazing in the Christina Reiman Butterfly Wing besides butterflies that I have to share. Over the next month, the Starburst Shrub (Celrodendrum quadriloculare) in the Butterfly Wing will be flowering. The Starburst is a tropical flowering shrub which can grow fifteen feet tall. During the winter months this shrub produces large clusters of very long flowers which are a sight to see.

Each evening the butterflies in the Christina Reiman Butterfly Wing settle down for the night. Each species has their own nightly behavioral patterns. Usually these evening activities begin after the Butterfly Wing has closed to the public. The short days during this time of year provide a unique opportunity for visitors to see some of these actions. One spectacular behavior is the evening roosting of the Heliconius species. If you’re interested in observing unique behaviors in the Butterfly Wing, consider visiting after 3:45 p.m. to get a peek at what butterflies do at night.

For the next couple of months, there will be several moth species on display at Reiman Gardens. Typically a display like this would take place in the Christina Reiman Butterfly Wing or in the display case, but not this time. As part of the “Snug as a Bug” holiday display, one of the hallway trees is decorated with moth specimens. Actually, all four of the hallway trees are decorated with a bit of inspiration from the lifecycle of butterflies and moths. Make sure you stop out and see the moth-inspired holiday tree as well as the rest of the holiday display.

This week in our tropical shipment of butterflies from Ecuador we received a large number of Doris Longwings (Heliconius doris). As a member of the genus Heliconius, the Doris Longwing are able to live for two to three months as adults. Doris Longwing are a lot of fun because while they are all similar in size and shape, the color on their hind wings vary in color. The pattern on the hind wing is always the same but the colors can be orange, blue or green. If you make it out to the Butterfly Wing this month, keep an eye out for the Doris Longwing and see how many of the color forms you can find.
 

Visitors to the Christina Reiman Butterfly Wing over the next few weeks should keep an eye out for the Great Eggfly (Hypolimnas bolina). Native to Southeast Asia and Australia, this medium-sized butterfly is known for being a strong flier, even enduring long migratory flights. This active butterfly is also sexually dimorphic, which means the female form and male form look drastically different. In this particular case, the males are considered to be the prettier form, with their single large white spot, found on each wing, surrounded by a brilliant iridescent purple color visible only at certain angles. Within the Butterfly Wing these males can be seen exhibiting very strong territorial behavior as you will often see 3 or 4 males chasing each other in an attempt to defend their favorite perch. The male Great Eggfly adds another level of enjoyment to visitors since they tend to land on people within their patrol range, but only when standing still. Within the Christina Reiman Butterfly Wing, the Great Eggfly can most often be seen near the second bench.