Advertisement

Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park and Zoo welcomes new butterfly exhibit

Click to play video: 'Saskatoon Forestry Farm & Zoo welcomes butterfly house'
Saskatoon Forestry Farm & Zoo welcomes butterfly house
WATCH ABOVE: Starting Wednesday, Saskatchewan residents will be able to immerse themselves with butterflies flying through the Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park and Zoo’s new Prairie Butterfly House – Sep 1, 2022

Starting Wednesday, visitors of the Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park and Zoo will notice a new addition to their animal kingdom.

Attendees will be able to experience the sight of butterflies flying around the newly built Prairie Butterfly House.

“We had finished it just late this summer and as of yesterday, we got butterflies in,” zoo curator Janice McNernie told Global News.

Residents will be able to immerse themselves among the coloured species while walking along a garden trail.

“So when you walk in there, there’s going to be butterflies surrounding you. Maybe if you’re lucky, they might even sit on you,” McNernie said.

Story continues below advertisement

There is also an opportunity to witness the butterflies’ metamorphosis journey from start to end. Caterpillars are on site to form their chrysalides in their emerging chamber before growing their wings.

Caterpillars form their chrysalides before transforming into butterflies. / Supplied by the City of Saskatoon.
Caterpillars form their chrysalides before transforming into butterflies. / Supplied by the City of Saskatoon. Supplied by the City of Saskatoon

Currently living at the Prairie Butterfly House are the Compton Tortoise Shell Butterflies. The zoo says they plan to bring more species in the new year.

For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.

Get breaking National news

For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

According to a statement from the city, signs are displayed throughout the exhibit to help visitors learn more about the species living at Prairie Butterfly House.

Click to play video: 'This is BC: Nelson man sets new record following the path of the Monarch butterfly migration'
This is BC: Nelson man sets new record following the path of the Monarch butterfly migration

Families visiting the zoo Wednesday were excited to see the new feature at the park.

Story continues below advertisement

“It’s diversity for the zoo,” Jenna Mettice said.

“You can get here and come up and personal with them, which is pretty cool,” she added.

McNernie urges Saskatchewanians to check out the exhibit as soon as they can, as the life cycle of the insects is short.

“Their lifecycle as an adult butterfly, and you may not know, is approximately two weeks,” McNernie said.

Supplied by the City of Saskatoon. / City of Saskatoon

“We’re kind of in our introductory phase with the butterflies here. We hope that next year, we’re going to have multiple species come in,” she added.

Story continues below advertisement

Residents are able to check out the new Prairie Butterfly House during the zoo’s regular hours.

Sponsored content

AdChoices