The California Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor hirsuta) is a locally rare butterfly within San Francisco. Now, thanks to California Academy of Sciences aquatic biologist Tim Wong, the butterfly species is gradually repopulating the area again.
The biologist built a greenhouse for the butterflies in his own backyard. It had all the perfect conditions for butterflies to grow: sunlight, temperature fluctuations, and an occasional nice breeze. He also learned that the butterflies only feed on one plant, the California pipevine (Aristolochia californica), which was pretty hard to track down. After a while, Wong found the plant in a botanical garden, which allowed him to take a few clippings of the plant. Once his butterfly paradise was built, Wong transported 20 caterpillars there and let them grow. Now, around 3 years later, his butterfly home is thriving, and he’s not stopping yet!
