April 14, 2021, Johnson City, TX—If you’re feeling that spring itch to explore outdoors, know that you’re not alone: pollinators are all a-buzz too! You’ll spot butterflies, bees and other insects—even bats, if you’re lucky—as they visit spring blooms, spreading pollen as they go to help plants form new seeds.
The Science Mill in Johnson City will be celebrating pollinators (and Earth Day) at their Butterfly Bonanza (+ Bats & Bees) event on Saturday, April 24. Through up-close encounters and hands-on activities, attendees will learn why these friendly flyers are crucial to our local ecosystems.
The first 200 visitors will receive a live butterfly to release in the Science Mill’s outdoor Butterfly Garden. They can visit a demonstration beehive and explore beekeeping tools from a master beekeeper, make wildflower seed bombs to take home to support local bees, and pick up garden guides for bee- and butterfly-friendly plants. The Science Mill will also offer special showings throughout the day of the “Flight of the Butterfly” film in its theater.
Butterfly Bonanza attendees can also try out a “bat’s eye view” of navigating with echolocation, examine real bat specimens with Michelle Camara from Southern Wildlife Rehab, and hear how the organization helped 6,000 injured bats after Winter Storm Uri (talks at 11am and 1pm in the theater, space limited for social distancing).
Special activities run from 10am-2pm and the Science Mill will be open from 10am-4pm. Visitors are encouraged to pre-purchase tickets online to help ensure space for all and provide contact-free entry. Admission includes all Butterfly Bonanza activities as well as 50+ indoor and outdoor exhibits and movie. Admission is $11 per adult, $9.50 for ages 3-18, $9.00 for seniors, $5.50 for military, and free for ages 0-2. Science Mill members get in free.
The Science Mill is a family destination offering a fun, interactive learning environment for visitors of all ages. Through cutting-edge exhibits, games and programs, the non-profit science museum expands understanding and appreciation of science in everyday life. The Science Mill is housed in an historic 1880s mill at 101 S. Lady Bird Lane in Johnson City, TX. More information at www.sciencemill.org.
