Critical Season to Save Endangered Butterflies

It’s likely that you have never seen, or maybe even heard of, two of Minnesota’s vanishing wildlife species. Small in size and increasingly less easy Read More


Plant for Pollinators: How to be a Backyard Wildlife Hero

As the saying goes, “not all heroes wear capes!” With or without a cape, you can be a hero for local wildlife by taking action Read More


Partner Spotlight – The Nature Conservancy

The Minnesota Zoo’s Prairie Butterfly Conservation Initiative has been a pioneer in butterfly conservation for years, creating the world’s first rearing and breeding program for Read More


Field Journal- Butterfly Conservation Update

If ever there was an unassuming butterfly, it would be the Poweshiek skipperling. A small orange and brown butterfly with silvery stripes, they aren’t especially Read More


  • Permalink Gallery

    Assiniboine Park Zoo and Minnesota Zoo breed Critically Endangered butterfly in managed care

Assiniboine Park Zoo and Minnesota Zoo breed Critically Endangered butterfly in managed care

The Poweshiek skipperling is a small grassland butterfly that is on the brink of extinction. It was once common across the Midwest but has apparently Read More


A Record Season for Butterfly Conservation

The Minnesota Zoo’s Prairie Butterfly Conservation Program has certainly not slowed down this summer! With record numbers of butterflies reared and released into the field, Read More


A Flutter of Activity

While much of the world has slowed down over the past few months, there has been a recent flutter of activity for the Minnesota Zoo’s Read More


  • Permalink A Poweshiek skipperling caterpillar (left) before overwintering at the Minnesota Zoo and an adult Poweshiek skipperling (right) released in the wild.Gallery

    Frozen in Time – Overwintering Caterpillars at the Minnesota Zoo

Frozen in Time – Overwintering Caterpillars at the Minnesota Zoo

Did you know that many species of insects survive Minnesota winters by “hibernating” throughout the cold months? While some insects, such as the monarch butterfly, Read More