NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — Author's Note: The above video is on file from Feb. 23, 2021.
A new, seasonal exhibit is coming to a Newport News museum this Fall. It'll feature an insect that most people consider beautiful.
The Virginia Living Museum announced Monday that it will be launching its new "Butterfly Haven," featuring seasonal butterflies and moths.
A spokesperson for the museum said the butterflies and moths that will be on display are from Virginia. They'll be in an exhibit full of native Virginia plants.
Museum officials are encouraging people to attend the Native Plant Sale as a way to show support for Virginia's wildlife. The online sales will start on Sept. 13 and the Member Preview will be held on Sept. 16 from 4-6 p.m.
The museum is putting the exhibit together to keep the population of local butterflies and moths from continuing to drop. They play an important role in the environment -- specifically for pollination.
Monarch butterflies have been tagged and released by the museum for more than 30 years as part of its conservation efforts. These are some of the programs that worked on the mission: Monarch SAFE, Monarch Watch and NABA Butterfly Count.
People who attend the butterfly exhibit will get a chance to see the behavior of the species up close. Visitors might see a zebra swallowtail sipping nectar or a monarch caterpillar crawling on a milkweed leaf.
For more information on plant sales and pickups, visit the Virginia Living Museum website.
Author's Note: The video below is on file from June 6, 2020.