Nathan’s Notes

Owl Butterflies, butterflies in the family Caligo, are a pretty common occurrence in the Christina Reiman Butterfly Wing. We also fly other similar species that resemble the Owl Butterflies, such as the Purple Mort Bleu (Eryphanis polyxena). Like the Owls, the Purple Mort Bleu also has a large eye spot on […]

Longwing butterflies in the family Heliconius can be a little tricky to identify. They are smaller with a wing that is longer than it is wide. But one species in that group that is easier to spot is the Doris Longwing (Heliconius doris). Its wings always have a black background color, and […]

This month check out the Giant Wood Nymphs (Idea leuconoe). They are a large black and white butterfly from Southeast Asia. Some of the docents at the Butterfly Wing have dubbed them the “people butterfly” because they love to land on people. That’s because Wood Nymphs are highly attracted to certain […]

At Reiman Gardens, even the butterflies have a little sparkle this holiday season! The Jazzy Leaf Wing (Hypna clytemnestra) is a Central and South American species that, when resting, looks very much like a dried-up leaf hanging on a plant. But look closer and you’ll see some flair as well, with […]

The Malayan Egg-Fly (Hypolimnas anomala), native to Southeast Asia / Northern Australia, will make its first appearance in the Christina Reiman Butterfly Wing this month. We received 40 indviduals from our supplier, so there’s a good chance you’ll see one of these in the Butterfly Wing until the end of […]

Come see one of the largest moths in the world, the Madagascar Moon Moth (Argema mittrei)! These beautifully marked silk moths can measure as much as a whopping eight inches or so from the top of their heads to the tip of the wing tails. Adults don’t have functioning mouths […]

So often we feature exotic butterflies from all over the world in the Christina Reiman Butterfly Wing, but over the next few months we’ll be featuring a hometown kid: the Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia). This small Iowa native species often gets overlooked, despite its showy coloring and striking eye-spot patterns on […]

It’s been a great year for cicada killers (Sphecius speciosus), the largest wasp found in Iowa. Their scary-sounding name comes from their habit of feeding cicadas to their young in their nests. At Reiman Gardens, these impressive individuals can be seen going about their daily business especially on the magnolia trees […]

We’re excited right now to have the Common Earl, Tanaecia julii, on display. This medium-sized member of the Nymphalid family resides in the rainforests and deciduous forests of  southern and southeastern Asia. We have not had this butterfly for at least three years. You’ll enjoy seeing the males, who are chocolate […]

Unlike the butterfly and moths we have at Reiman Gardens which go through complete metamorphoses (Holometabolism) our New Guinea Walking Sticks go through incomplete metamorphoses (Hemimetabolism), where the young nymphs resemble the adults only smaller. Shortly after receiving our New Guinea Walking Sticks the females began laying eggs. Well those eggs […]