Magic Wings butterfly museum - Francis R. Redmond Conservatory

Francis R. Redmond Conservatory

Francis R. Redmond Conservatory was named for the original owner of the Candlelight Restaurant in which our food court, Garden Shop and function rooms are now located. The 4,000 square foot glass conservatory houses native and tropical butterflies year round, plants and a pond with a small waterfall watched over carefully by the fairies. Visitors are delighted with the many different varieties of butterflies swooping gracefully amidst the plants and flowers.... stand still and, perhaps, a butterfly will gently descend and land on your shoulder thinking that maybe you are a flower for it to taste. We can't guarantee visitors the rare delight of a butterfly landing on them, we just want everyone to enjoy the peace and tranquility that exists inside this glass house with the butterflies dancing around.

We Import Butterflies from all over the world
Below are some of the butterflies you may
see inside the conservatory


Morpho pleides		Caligo atreus	Kallima paralekta

Papilio rumanzovia		Papilio aegeus	Pachliopta kotzebuea

Papilio polytes		Papilio memnon	Papilio dardanus	Papilio anchisiades

Papilio cresphontes	Graphium agamemnon	Papilio demoleus	Papilio palinurus	Parides Photinus


Greto oto	Tithorea tarricina	Idea leuconoe	Danaus plexippus	Euploe core

Heliconiius charitonia	Heliconiius erato	Heliconiius melpomene	Heliconiius melpomene	Vanessa cardin

Heliconiius doris	Heliconiius sara	Heliconiius cydno	Philaethria dido	Dryas iulia

Eueides isabella	Heliconiius hecale	Hypolimnas bolina	Papilio polyxenes	Parthenos sylvia

Parthenos sylvia	Phoebis sennae	Ascia momuste	Anteos clorinde	Nymphalis antiopa

Polygonia interrogationis	Hamadryas arinome	Hamadryas februa	Hamadryas laodamia	Siproete stelenes

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Individuals inside the conservatory who interface with visitors are called Flight Attendants.

There are many, many questions asked of our Flight Attendants. Below are some of those questions & our answers.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How many butterflies are in here?

Between 800-2000, depending on the time of year and the availability.

2. Where did you get all these butterflies?

We hatched many of them, imported some and bought others from butterfly farmers.

3. How long does a butterfly live?

Most butterflies only live a couple of weeks. Some as long as 9 months.

4. Can butterflies bite?

No, their mouthparts are like a flimsy drinking straw.

5. Will they land on my finger?

They are more likely to land on your shirt but only if you are not trying to catch them.

6. Is it true? If you touch a butterfly it can't fly anymore?

If you touch a butterfly too much or improperly, it may get injured and be unable to fly.

7. Why is that butterfly's wing broken?

As butterflies go about their lives their wings become brittle. They may hit them on plants as they are flying by or broken from people trying to catch them. Broken wings do not hurt them, their wings are like your hair, they are made of dead tissue.

8. How do you tell male from female?

Each butterfly species has its differences. Usually the males are smaller. The abdomens of females are usually larger, the male abdomens usually end with a pair of clippers.

9. How do butterflies reproduce?

Butterflies mate and lay eggs.

10.How do I attract butterflies to my garden?

Use plants similar to the ones you see in the conservatory and include the larval host plants. Butterflies don't want to have to travel to lay their eggs.

11. Are the farmers afraid they will become pests?

Sometimes they are afraid. But since all species of butterflies and moths are host specific (they only lay eggs on certain plants), unless the local agriculture or surrounding communities grew those specific plants, the butterflies and moths would not survive outside the conservatory in nature.

12. What is the difference between butterflies and moths?

Scientists have been unable to determine one single characteristic that distinguishes butterflies from moths. So, generally, butterflies form a chrysalis and moths spin cocoons in their pupae stage; most butterflies rest with their wings closed, most moths rest with their wings open; most moths have feathered antenna and fatter, feathery bodies and most butterflies fly during the day and most moths fly during the night.

I sat alone on the bench in a corner of the conservatory

My sadness radiating from me keeping others away

I was startled from my introspection by a light touch on my arm

Looking down I saw a small black butterfly with red patches on its wings.

It sat there, slowly raising and lowering its wings, for the longest time

My heartbeat soon matched the slow tempo of the butterfly's wings as we sat, suspended in time.