Texas Nature Challenge
Your mission if you choose to accept it:

At Texas Discovery Gardens, we’re all about Butterflies, Bugs and Botany! Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to explore our outdoor native butterfly habitat and discover a world full of life! Become a Nature Detective by following the mission below:

1. The first garden outside of the garden exit is the Margaret Fondi Jonsson Tribute Garden. Look at the four large trees – can you reach your arms all the way around one? Can you look on the ground and find a leaf from the tree? Trace one below!

These trees are called Live Oak trees – why do you think they are called live oaks?

Can you find juvenile (young) frogs or turtles in the pond? It’s easier to look through the layers of the pond in the sunlight!

Match the following garden residents with their life cycle!

FrogEgg, Caterpillar, Chrysalis, Adult

TurtleEgg, Tadpole, Tailed Adult, Adult

ButterflyEgg, Hatchling, Juvenile, Adult

Circle the complete metamorphosis. What is the difference between complete & incomplete metamorphosis?

2. Follow the signs for the Butterfly Garden and keep going up the path to the Benny J. Simpson Texas Native Plant Collection. Benny J. Simpson was an actual person who collected plants from all over Texas and brought them here. Look around the garden and see if you can tally the following plants:

Count the number of succulents/cacti from West Texas:

Count the number of palm trees from the Gulf Coast:

Count the number of pine trees(evergreens) from the Piney Woods in East Texas:

Can you find a plant that you can cook with? (Careful – it’s spicy!!)

3. As you make your way back to the main building, stop by the Robert & Nancy DedmanShade Garden.

Take a moment and rest on the bricks. How many birds can you spot? What colors are they? Do you know their names? Draw one below! Can you hear it’s song? What do you think the bird’s call sounds like? (For example, a Barred Owl’s call is often described as “Who Cooks for You?”).

4. Once inside the main building, go through the Butterfly House and Insectarium. Butterflies come in all colors of the rainbow! How many colors can you find? Write the name of the butterfly if you know it!!

Red

Orange

Yellow

Green

Blue

Purple

White

Brown

Black

Congratulations! You have explored Texas Discovery Gardens & become a Nature Detective! Stop by the Gift Shop to receive your stamp!