Painted Lady butterly on little hands, St. Louis Children's Hospital. Photo by Gary Wangler
Last week, Painted Lady butterflies were released in the Olson Family Garden at the St. Louis Children’s Hospital. Gary Wangler, Horticulturist/Manager of Grounds Operations/Horticultural Therapist sent these photographs and this description:
“We do 2 releases each year. I get 100 larvae off the internet as a kit. The kids assemble the small containers with lids, place larvae food into each container, and in 3 weeks, we have butterflies. The last 3 days, I feed the butterflies with cotton balls that I have soaked with sugar water and on a nice day, we send word through the hospital about the release. At 1:00 in the Garden, patients and families come out to release the little winged creatures to the new world.”
This is the magic we can bring to people when they need it most.
The Olson Family Garden is one of the best examples of a children’s healing garden and rooftop healing garden. For more information, visit the St. Louis Children’s Hospital website, www.stlouischildrens.org/content/OlsonFamilyGarden.htm.
Butterflies awaiting release, St. Louis Children's Hospital. Photo by Gary Wangler
Painted Lady butterfly, St. Louis Children's Hospital. Photo by Gary Wangler
Butterfly release, St. Louis Children's Hospital. Photo by Gary Wangler
Butterfly release, St. Louis Children's Hospital. Photo by Gary Wangler
Many thanks, Gary, for these wonderful images! All photos by Gary Wangler. By consent of the guardian(s), these images may be used.