Norwich butterfly exhibit takes flight

Norwich (WTNH) - You don't need a net to catch a close up at a Painted Lady or Monarch butterfly. It's inside the second annual Butterfly Pavilion where visitors may be in for a colorful surprise in Norwich.

The former River Run Nursery in Norwich comes alive again. Thousands of butterflies fill the greenhouse spreading their wings and their colors.

"The butterflies, well, some of them you'll see roosting on the flowers, others are flying around," said Ted Phillips of Chelsea Botanical Gardens. "It's a really great educational and entertaining event."

The colorful flying display is a fundraiser for the Chelsea Botanical Gardens planned for Norwich. They arrived Wednesday morning from a breeder in Florida.

"They're put in carefully; their wings are folded up," said Phillips of the butterflies.

It's a special delivery.

" While they're in the envelopes, the butterflies are in like a sleep like state that's because they're kept in a cooler," said Phillips. "But once you let them out and they hit the warm air, they wake right up."

Soon enough, the monarchs and painted ladies are posing for pictures, landing on flowers and fingers.

"We try to encourage our visitors not to touch their wings but butterflies will land on them," Phillips said.

Visitors are given a unique opportunity to be surrounded by the butterflies. They also learn about butterfly-friendly plants and how to attract them. And they get to see the stages of development from caterpillar to cocoon to what you see here today.

"We've got three different types. We have monarchs, painted ladies, and we will be receiving a special surprise," said Phillips.

Detelj: "You have to show up to find out.?"
Phillips: "That's right."

They're all native to the Norwich area, so once the event ends they'll simply be released. In Norwich.

The Butterfly Pavilion opens Wednesday night for a sneak preview and continues through Sunday.