This Earth Day, butterflies are expected to emerge from their cocoons in Coykendall Science Building’s greenhouse through the Biology Club’s “Butterfly Effect” project. The project begins when numerous caterpillars are captured and brought to the greenhouse. They are cocooned now. But in a few weeks, butterflies will be flying around the inside of the plant house.
The greenhouse has had extraordinary breakthroughs with their foreign plants. The loquat tree, which is native to China, has had an explosion of vibrant pink and yellow color on its leaves. The leaves from the loquat tree can be used to make tea, as well as from the leaves of an 8-year-old avocado tree that has grown to hit the ceiling of the greenhouse. The greenhouse serves as an incubator for projects by students in the biology department and biology club when plants are in bloom. This season, members of the Students for Sustainable Agriculture club expect to grow plants for food.
