Trunkline Magazine (Louisville Zoo) June 2018 | Page 14

Butterflies
n' Blooms
Open NOW through Sept. 23, 2018
Daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
FREE with admission or membership.
Wing It!
This season, wing it a little at the Zoo in our popular butterfly exhibit.
Experience summer in full color as you walk amongst hundreds of na-
tive butterflies plus host plants and brightly colored nectar flowers in
our 1,000 sq. ft. outdoor flight house.
The butterfly season will start with a large col-
lection of painted lady butterflies flying freely and
basking in the sunlight. As the summer progresses,
the species will also change. You’ll want to visit
again and again! Visit LouisvilleZoo.org/but-
terflies to see what’s flying. You are likely to
spot monarchs, red spotted purples, swal-
lowtails and more.
Meet Some Painted Ladies
This butterfly can be identified by the black and white corners of its
deep orange and black-spotted wings. It has five white spots in the
black forewing tips. It is the most widely distributed butterfly in the
world and found on all continents except for Australia and Antarctica.
The painted lady is also known as the cosmopolitan because of its
global distribution. You can find them almost anywhere — from gar-
dens and old fields to vacant lots.
Its scientific name, Vanessa cardui, translates as "butterfly of
thistle." Thistle, which can be an invasive weed, is one of the painted
lady caterpillar's favorite food plants. Painted lady butterflies prefer the
nectar from thistles as well as aster,
cosmos, blazing star, ironweed and
joe-pye weed.
So, come and let your summer fun
take flight — and leave with a better
understanding of the environment
and protections needed for the sur-
vival of these spectacular butterflies.
Plus, you’ll learn ways to help them
thrive in your own backyard!
Learn more at LouisvilleZoo.org/butterflies
14 • Louisville Zoo Trunkline • Summer 2018
Official Monarch
Waystation!
Official monarch waystations like the
Louisville Zoo provide butterflies critical
pit stops during their migration cycle.
Learn more about how to become a
waystation at LouisvilleZoo.org/butterflies