The Butterflies of NC Museum of Natural Sciences at Whiteville
For immediate release ‐ May 07, 2021
Contact: Micah Beasley, 919.707.9970. Images available upon request
By Kristen Fontana, Science Communications Intern, NCMNS Whiteville
Beautiful Murals Celebrate Native Butterflies
The Museum’s Whiteville location is making a splash — or, flutter, rather — via their new native butterfly murals, which sparked an entire Whiteville Butterfly Trail throughout downtown Whiteville.
The Museum made a literal “butterfly effect” in town. Whiteville Head, Dr. Shelby Gull Laird, says, “It is exciting to see such a positive community response to nature and science through art. We started something that is bringing people together while highlighting the importance of native pollinators.”
The Whiteville museum murals include seven large separate butterflies that are visible from the street, as well as a pollinator garden and a Monarch Butterfly life cycle brightening the entranceway. The massive butterflies can be viewed from the street with our pollinator garden and Monarch life stages brightening our entranceway. These life-like works of art beautify the town while also serving as unique educational tools.
Bess Hinson Taylor painting the butterfly mural at the Museum.
Columbus County, North Carolina artist Bess Hinson Taylor, an avid museum-goer with a strong interest in moths, butterflies, and caterpillars, proposed the idea to Museum staff after noticing the large blank exterior walls. She first formed her relationship with the Museum by taking her son to Storytime programs on Wednesday mornings. Ultimately, Dr. Shelby Gull Laird took the project to the Friends of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences at Whiteville and made it a reality. Generous donations to the Friends at Whiteville funded this exciting project.
Bess Taylor is a self-taught painter and North Carolina native who enjoys depicting the natural world in all its complexity. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in biological science from NC State University. While practicing makeup artistry for 15 years, she learned how to properly blend shades and developed an acute attention to detail.
Across all four of her murals, observers will notice Bess’s attentiveness to detail as small butterflies and plants are brought to life with amazing scientific accuracy, ranging in size from two to 12 feet wide!
The seven butterflies depicted are: the Monarch (Danaus plexippus), Fiery Skipper (Hylephila phyleus), Eastern Tailed Blue (Cupido comyntas), Little Wood Satyr (Megisto cymela), Spicebush Swallowtail (Papilia troilus), Little Metalmark (Calephelis virginiensis) and Cloudless Sulphur (Phoebis sennae). These were all chosen because each is a native species that can be found in southeastern North Carolina.
Whiteville’s butterfly murals aren’t only creating a buzz around town, but are in the news as well: Watch WECT’s interview with Shelby and Bess.
Tip: For an immersive experience, head over to our pollinator garden where you can observe the habitat and development of the Monarch Butterfly. The garden includes nine plant species that are closely associated with the Monarch during its life cycle, such as milkweed. Upon closer inspection, guests can see the Monarch grow and progress from an egg on a leaf, to caterpillar to a butterfly within the garden mural. Snapshots of the Monarch in its different life stages give the viewer an intimate glimpse into the life of the monarch. Plus, it makes a great photo-op!
Follow the Whiteville Butterfly Trail
Follow the Whiteville Butterfly Trail through downtown Whiteville to see the rest of the murals, supported by: the Whiteville Rotary Club, Rotary District 7730; the Columbus County Arts Council and the Carolyn T., Whiteville, and Town and Country Garden Clubs. Vineland Storage and Kenny Barnes provided buildings to paint on and scaffolding for the installation effort.
You can see the Whiteville Butterfly Trail murals at these locations:
- North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences at Whiteville: 415 South Madison Street.
- Columbus County Arts Council: 822 S Madison St.
- Vineland Storage: 135 E Main St.
- Unveiling Saturday, May 8 at 10am:
Columbus County Community Farmers Market: 132 Government Complex Rd.
We want to see you enjoying the trail! Post pictures of your visit to Facebook or Instagram with the hashtag, #WhitevilleButterflies and tag us @NCMNSWhiteville.