This summer at Grace Farms, we’re celebrating the many incredible butterflies in Connecticut!
We invite you to learn about and celebrate butterflies with us through indoor and outdoor explorations. Experience the Amazing Butterflies Exhibit by Minotaur Mazes, attend monthly nature programs, learn about milkweed, and visit pop-up talks led by our education team.
Grace Farms supports butterflies in Connecticut at every stage of the butterfly life cycle
Grace Farms is situated on nearly 77 acres of biodiverse habitats, including native meadows, woodlands, and ponds. Through key plantings, these 77 acres that surround the River building support the lifecycle of butterflies in Connecticut at every stage.
Grace Farms is a Certified Wildlife Habitat Garden (National Wildlife Federation), a Certified Monarch Waystation (Monarch Watch), a member of the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, and a New Canaan Pollinator Pathway Community Partner.
Cultivating a “Butterfly Basin”
Our newly-established “Butterfly Basin” features native trees and shrubs, with a proximity to restored wetlands vital to every stage of a butterfly’s life. The basin, located near Cattail Pond, is an ongoing cultivation. It weaves into the spectacular tapestry of restored wetlands and regenerative, resilient ecosystems thriving across this landscape.
The Grace Farms team, members, and volunteers have planted perennial trees and shrubs to maintain a healthy ecosystem that supports butterflies and moths all year the plants in this area provide a place for lepidopteran to lay eggs and food for larval and adult butterflies. It will also provide shelter in the fallen leaves over winter.
Grace Farms Director of Horticulture, Kimberly Kelly, leads several of our nature programming that educate visitors about supporting pollinators and butterflies in Connecticut. Kim currently serves as member of the Board of Directors of the Connecticut Master Gardener Association and is the President of the Board of Directors of the International Association of Butterfly Exhibitors and Suppliers.
Visit us this summer to learn more about the fascinating butterflies in Connecticut!
Experience the Amazing Butterflies Exhibit
Ready to learn even more about butterflies in Connecticut? Navigate the extraordinary metamorphosis of butterflies through an interactive maze in the Grace Farms Court! The Amazing Butterflies Exhibit is created by The Natural History Museum in London in collaboration with Minotaur Mazes. Amazing Butterflies is a temporary exhibit, open from June 6th through September 21st . It is recommended for children ages 12 and under, but offers fun for the whole family.
Adventure through the leaves, learn how to move like a caterpillar, discover an ant that reaps the reward of an unusual friendship, then transform into a butterfly and take flight! This wonderful exhibit offers interactive experiences centered around the butterfly life cycle. Please note, this exhibit does not contain live butterflies.
The Amazing Butterflies Exhibit is open daily Tuesday – Saturday 10 am – 4 pm and Sundays 12 – 4 pm.
View our calendar to get your tickets.
A bee on a milkweed plant. Milkweed is the primary food source for monarch butterflies.
Attend Butterfly-Inspired Workshops
We offer Learning with Nature workshops for all ages every month this summer. This series brings meaningful ways for adults and families to support pollinators and connect with the natural world.
- Saturday, June 14: Start a Beehive
- Saturday, July 27: Walk with Dragonflies
- Saturday, August 23: Look at Butterfly Life
A milkweed pod. Milkweed is the primary food source of monarch butterflies in Connecticut. Photo by Melani Lust.
Use a Field Guide to Explore Butterfly Food
Pick up a Caterpillar Compass Field Guide at the Welcome Desk to learn more about milkweed!
Milkweed is a perennial flowering plant that supports the monarch butterfly lifecycle. Follow the Caterpillar Compass Field Guide to orienteer your way around the Grace Farms landscape, following the natural landmarks that shelter butterflies and caterpillars. Write, draw, or talk to a friend about what you see, and collect a butterfly stamp after completing your journey.
Schedule a visit and ask about Caterpillar Compass at the Welcome Desk.
Pop-up talks are 30-minute engagements led by our Education Team and offered daily. Photo by Melani Lust.
Attend Pop-up Talks
Every day, members from our Education Team are stationed throughout the River building to deliver engaging, 30-minute talks about topics including nature, architecture, and sustainability. Throughout the summer, these daily pop-up talks will focus on pollinating insects, birds, and plants.
View our calendar to learn more about daily pop-up talks.
