March 18, 2020

Fort Wayne, Ind. – With the Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory currently closed to the public, the Painted Lady Butterfly Release scheduled for this Saturday, March 21 at the Conservatory has been cancelled.

For those who have hatched a Painted Lady butterfly from one of the Conservatory butterfly kits, here are some tips:

• A Painted Lady adult butterfly can live 2-4 weeks after emerging from its chrysalis if kept fed and sheltered from cold
• They prefer flower nectar, but a Painted Lady can also happily sip from a slice of freshly-cut orange or watermelon
• An artificial nectar can be served in a small dish with crumpled tissue inside, to give the butterfly a perch
• A recipe for artificial nectar is 2 teaspoons of white or brown sugar dissolved in ½ cup of clean water
• Release your butterfly outdoors when temperatures are consistently above 55-60ºF; it cannot fly in cooler temps

For updates on the Botanical Conservatory, visit BotanicalConservatory.org.

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