MONARCH CHRYSALISES

The ANSWER TO YESTERDAY'S QUIZ CAME FROM AUDIOENGINEER -- LITERALLY, 5-MINUTES AFTER I POSTED THE QUESTION.

Butterflies Are Blooming is coming to the Lena Meijer Tropical Conservatory in Grand Rapids March 1-April 30. I stopped by to see them getting ready for it. Hundreds of chrysalises are arriving. The chrysalises are then placed in a special emergence area where the make their magical transformation into butterflies. Once hatched, the butterflies are placed on plants where they acclimate to the environment and gain strength before taking to the air.

It's the largest temporary tropical butterfly exhibit in the nation. Visitors can escape the Michigan winter and mingle with more than 6,000 tropical butterflies flying free in a 15,000-square-foot Tropical Conservatory.

The exhibition will have more than 40 different species from the Far East, Africa and Central America. Throughout the tropical environment, butterflies can be viewed drinking nectar from the flowering plants, landing on the odd nose or shoulder, and congregating along the stream beds, as well as in flight all around.