The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History invites visitors to feel the flutter™ in one of its most educational, entertaining and experiential exhibits to date. To help visitors get an up-close and unique look at how butterflies and plants have evolved and diversified together over millions of years, Butterflies will feature:

* A historical journey through the Exhibit Hall, taking visitors through the co-evolution of butterflies and plants – from long before dinosaurs walked the Earth to present day. An array of colorful murals, timelines, videos and photographs support the exhibit’s underlying themes of survival and evolution.
* 1,200-square foot Live Butterfly Pavillion where visitors can walk among more than 300 tropical butterflies (new butterflies introduced on a weekly basis!) and watch firsthand how they interact with their plant partners.

Museum curators and scientists have worked together for two years to create this dynamic exhibit.

If you are unable to visit the museum, check out the "Explore A Topic" portion of their website - a great resource!

What is the significance of co-evolution and how is it relevant to me?

Organisms – from humans to insects to plants – have all evolved from a common ancestor and over time have adapted to a wide range of environments, producing the rich biodiversity we see in nature today. But organisms are not in isolation during this process. An essential part of evolution is how organisms interact with one another and how they change from generation to generation because of those interactions – what scientists call co-evolution.

For example, co-evolution is responsible for the relationship between the star orchid and the giant hawk moth in Madagascar. When Charles Darwin first saw the Madagascar star orchid, which produces nectar at the bottom of its narrow, foot-long spur (throat), he predicted the existence of a moth with a proboscis (tongue) long enough to reach that nectar. Decades later, the giant hawk moth was discovered. Today, the hawk moth continues to use its 8-inch-long tongue to drink nectar from the orchid and, in the process, plays an important role in the orchid’s pollination process. These two partners evolved together.

But co-evolution is an ongoing process, and all species – even humans – play a role in the evolution of the natural community. With the knowledge that 99 percent of all species that have inhabited the planet are now extinct, the importance of Butterflies + Plants is clear. The more we understand about biodiversity and the evolutionary and ecological processes that formed all life, the more we learn how to appreciate and conserve life as we know it today.