FORT MYERS, Fla. — The Butterfly House in Fort Myers is closing its doors Friday.
Florida Native Butterfly Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting native butterflies.
The non-profit announced Thursday that it will no longer operate at its location. According to a Facebook post, the news came after receiving a short notice. Doors will close Friday at 2 p.m. The Thrifty Garden will be closing its doors on August 27.
Multiple people gathered outside to wait for the release of the butterflies. Monarchs, Swallowtails, and Buckeyes took their first flight around 10:30 a.m.
According to Sherri Williams, one of their breeders, the butterflies will be re-homed with the breeders, and the plants will remain in the conservatory.
With tears on her face, Williams explains how meaningful this journey has been and her efforts to keep the State Butterfly around SWFL. After Hurricane Ian, Zebra Longwings were not seen for months.
After Ian, there wasn’t a lot of butterflies, especially our Zebra Longwings, which is our State Butterfly,” Williams said.
Williams also said she would take some eggs and chrysalis’ to her home and hope to place them on her lanai.
“Anyone that wants to reach out for eggs can reach out to me,” Williams said as she explained the process of having them re-homed.
Dawn Mack, a Flight Club Butterfly Booster member, said she would return Monday to catch the butterflies and take them to her place in Estero.
Mack says that she built her garden for butterflies thanks to the conservatory and help from Williams and breeders.
“This is the first place we came to learn about butterflies,” Mack said.
