Butterflies at Callaway Gardens

We took a four-day weekend camping trip to Pine Mountain, Georgia. On Saturday, we spent hours and hours at Callaway Gardens. It had been several years since we had been there—think, decade! One of our favorite exhibits is the butterfly building. In the display below are rows of several varieties of chrysalises, all waiting for just the right moment to hatch. You can see a butterfly has emerged and is still hanging onto its shell of the chrysalis. I wanted to see one as it was coming out, but did not have the time needed to stand and watch.

In the building are full-sized trees and flowering plants made into a beautiful indoor garden. Flying around in there are many butterflies.

Here are some that I was able to photograph; unfortunately, I do not have the names for most of them.

This one’s golden wings shimmered. I guess it helps to hide in dappled sunlight.

This one looks like blue corduroy.

This one looks to be some kind of luna moth. As B said, it looks like it has crossed its legs. Of course, it is actually part of the swallowtail and the little legs are completely hidden from this view.

These owl butterflies were feeding on fruit.

It was a fun walk through this garden and it was obviously a popular place for both young and old, as well as for those of us somewhere in the middle.