Tropical Butterflies in Slow Motion & Behind the Scenes in the Conservatory!

For immediate release ‐ December 16, 2021

Contact: Jon Pishney, 919.707.8083. Images available upon request


Dr. Adrian Smith, Head of the Museum’s Evolutionary Biology & Behavior Lab, is out with a new video! The YouTube sensation filmed slow motion flight and time-lapse sequences of tropical butterflies emerging from their pupae, and taking flight, and gives a behind-the-scenes tour of our walk-in tropical dry forest exhibit.

Check out naturalsciences.org/planyourvisit for info about when to visit the Museum. Right now (Dec, 2021) the Conservatory (butterfly room) is not open to the public due to Covid-related safety measures, but we hope to invite guests back to this spectacular exhibit soon!

Video Content

  • 00:00 – owl butterfly
  • 01:09 – behind the scenes
  • 02:22 – timelapse eclosion
  • 03:29 – longwings
  • 04:13 – blue morpho
  • 05:14 – malachite
  • 05:38 – cattleheart
  • 06:21 – blue morpho

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