'Flutter' Flies into Pearlridge

Dancetta Feary has been raising butterflies for nearly a decade. A Realtor with Prudential Locations and the older sister of the late Hawaii musician Mackey Feary, she fell in love with the creatures and found inspiration in their beauty and independence. And she's now able to offer people an up-close-and-personal encounter with them.

This week at Pearlridge you can check out "Flutter." The summer exhibit is billed as "a green experience," and features a butterfly pavilion hosting dozens of live butterflies, exploration stations with hands-on activities, and regular workshops and prizes. Thanks to social media maven Melissa Chang, my family and I were able to participate in a tweetup yesterday to experience "Flutter" first hand.

Feary explained the life cycle of butterflies, demonstrated how she fed them, and explained how to tell the males from the females. I remembered that I used to see monarch butterflies all the time as a kid, and not so much anymore.

The highlight is definitely spending time in the pavilion, which is kept slightly warm for the butterflies' comfort. Colorful, delicate butterflies are everywhere, in every nook and cranny, and even on the floor (so you have to step carefully). Feary was especially proud of a white monarch butterfly, which she said was especially rare, and it got the celebrity treatment, surrounded by camera and phone wielding admirers.

Admission into the pavilion is $3 (children under eight are free with a paying adult), and there are also "Adopt-a-Butterfly" kits available for $22, with a portion of the proceeds going to benefit Goodwill. "Flutter" runs through July 14.