Iowa State’s Reiman Gardens is almost ready to open the new Conservatory and Christina Reiman Butterfly Wing, which will keep the garden open year-round.

The 2,500-square foot Christina Butterfly Wing, with its distinct butterfly shape, will soon be home to hundreds of exotic butterflies from all over the world, as it opens its doors on Nov. 5. The butterfly wing is the only one of its kind in Iowa and the only such structure in the nation located on a university garden facility.

“The butterfly wing will have about 50 species of butterflies at any given time,” says Mary Harris, butterfly wing curator. “I made a list of 435 species from all over the world for the butterfly wing.”

The 5,000-square foot conservatory, located next to the butterfly wing, will feature rare and endangered tropical plants, a waterfall and seasonal plant displays that will change many times a year.

“The conservatory will have about 500 tropical plants from 100 different varieties,” says Teresa McLaughlin, director of Reiman Gardens.

Sandy Latta, Glass House Manager, spent several days in Florida looking for the right plants for the conservatory and butterfly wing.

“Each plant was hand-picked plant material from Florida,” Latta says. “We wanted a diverse collection of unique and unusual plants for both viewing and teaching.”

The plants also had to be carefully picked to ensure the survival of the butterflies.

“The adult [butterflies] need flowers with plenty of nectar to survive,” Harris says.

Once the ball is rolling, the rearing and receiving room, where each butterfly pupa is grown, will handle about 800 butterfly pupae every week. Inside the rearing and receiving room, each pupa or cocoon will be closely monitored and on display for viewers.

“A butterfly has a life span of about two weeks,” Harris says. “So we need a continual shipment of pupae every week.”

Nathan Brockman, rearing specialist and ISU research associate in entomology, will be handling the shipments of butterflies and helping to continually add new butterflies as well as to remove those that have died.

Brockman can’t wait to start.

“I’m definitely excited,” Brockman says. “Not only will we be handling the new pupae, but we will also be mating and rearing our own butterflies here at the garden.”

Several curators will be available to give tours of the gardens and teach observers about the many plants and butterflies throughout the Butterfly Wing and Conservatory.

“Everyone will get a brochure that will have several butterflies and plants to help you to identify what you are seeing,” Brockman says.

The facility will also house an 80-seat caf‚ called “Hazel’s Kitchen,” auditorium and a gift shop with unique garden and butterfly items.

“The caf‚ will be a good environment for students to come and study,” McLaughlin says.

Garden Superintendent Nick Howell, who is in charge of all horticulture operations, says students play a big role in the preparation, production and maintenance of Reiman Gardens.

“We couldn’t do this without our students,” Howell says. “They do about 99 percent of all the work.”

Reiman Gardens is quickly building national representation, Howell says.

“We’re definitely as good as the other [gardens],” Howell says, “and we’ve accomplished the same things in several years that have taken other gardens 30 to 40 years to complete.”

Maria Ball, guest services and media coordinator, says the 35,000-square-foot project cost an estimated $10 million and was funded completely through donations and fund-raisers.

“We all worked really hard,” says Daryl Metzger, architect with the Smith Metzger Firm and ISU alumnus. “It was a very complex project because several of the buildings needed to meet USDA requirements as well as maintain certain temperatures at all times.”