Until October 19, 2009, the Kohl Children's Museum in Glenview is hosting a fabulous exhibit called Watch Us Grow: Monarch Butterflies.
Perfect for children and adults, the Monarch butterflies exhibit shows the lifecycle of these delicate creatures in all four stages: eggs, caterpillars, pupas, and adult butterflies. The transformation of a tiny white 1-millimeter egg to the bright orange and black-veined beauty is a rare, one-of-a-kind experience that is often missed in visits to the various Monarch butterfly santuaries throughout the country.
I recently saw a documentary about these butterflies and was truly awed to discover that they migrate both north and south as birds do, traveling from Washington D.C. to Angangueo, Mexico. That's nearly 1,900 miles! Scientists have yet to discover how these butterflies navigate themselves.
Monarch butterflies are also known to be the only butterflies that make transatlantic journeys, as some have been found on islands and oil rigs in the middle of the ocean. The fragility of their exotic wings beating against the rough winds is truly amazing to think about!
Don't miss this wonderful exhibit! Look for other exhibits perfect for the family on Kohl Children's Museum website.