Nathan’s Notes

Unlike the butterfly and moths we have at Reiman Gardens which go through complete metamorphoses (Holometabolism) our New Guinea Walking Sticks go through incomplete metamorphoses (Hemimetabolism), where the young nymphs resemble the adults only smaller. Shortly after receiving our New Guinea Walking Sticks the females began laying eggs. Well those eggs […]

With the cold temperatures in April it took a bit longer this year before we started seeing native butterflies flying outside. Now that the weather has warmed up species are being observed across Iowa. Each day, regardless of the time of year, species native to Iowa are in flight within the Christina […]

Recently in the Christina Reiman Butterfly Wing, our rainbow eucalyptus was attacked by thrips, a nasty pest that was calling the leaves to fall off. We never use pesticides in the Butterfly Wing—those could kill butterflies as well as the problem insects. So instead we brought in predatory mites to […]

We’ve got some exciting news! A new insect, aside from butterflies and moths, will now be permanently on display in the middle emergence case. The case will feature two different species of walking sticks. Walking sticks (Phasmatidae) are among the most fascinating of insects. They’ve taken the survival skill of […]

While releasing new butterflies in the Christina Reiman Butterfly Wing one afternoon, I was fortunate enough to witness a pair of New Guinea Birdwings (Ornithoptera priamus) going through a courtship flight. The aerial display that these two truly impressive individuals were putting on totally mesmerized me. I found myself glued […]

Two uncommon and a first time butterfly species can be seen this month in the Christina Reiman Butterfly Wing. The New Guinea Birdwing (Ornithoptera priamas) hasn’t been flown since 2015. The Madagascar Moon Moth (Argema mittrei) was only flown in 2008, and the Madagascar Giant Swallowtail (Papilio antenor) has never been flown […]

Camouflage isn’t just a fashion trend. It’s also a smart way for animals—butterflies included—to survive so predators can’t see them. Right now in the Christina Reiman Butterfly Wing, we have an outstanding example of that: the Mosaic Butterfly (Colobura dirce). When this Costa Rican native is resting with its wings […]

Here’s a reason to celebrate shorter days: it gives you an ideal opportunity to observe the fascinating “communal roosting” behavior of the nine species of Longwing (Heliconis) butterflies we now have in the Christina Reiman Butterfly Wing. At night, they gather together in spectacular masses. Worth a visit!

One of the regulars at the Christina Reiman Butterfly Wing are the owl butterflies, which belong to the Caligo family. These natives to Central and South America are easy to identify because they have what look like a large owl eye on each of their hind wings. They typically fly […]

If you’ve been seeing a lot of Monarch-like butterflies lately, they are most likely Painted Ladies. They’ve been swarming flowering plants all across Iowa. These butterflies are smaller than Monarchs with more tan markings. The weather this year has been good for butterflies in general, but the reason we’re seeing […]