The Butterfly House - Put-in-Bay Island, Ohio

Saturday I spent the day in Put-in-Bay. We took the 10:30 AM ferry to Put-in-Bay from Middle Bass Island for $10 a piece one way.
We got off the ferry and headed to the golf cart stand. I secured a reservation for a golf cart Friday night that holds six people because we made plans to visit a few of the attractions on the island. My friend suggested, "Let's visit the Butterfly House first." All of us were in agreement. You'll never hear me complain about visiting a butterfly house. This was my third time visiting the butterfly house on Put-in-Bay.

I've come to learn that May is the beginning of the butterfly-hatching cycle at Put-in-Bay, so they are currently hatching the butterflies for this season. It was chilly, about 63F outside, but it was sunny. We were warm as long as we stayed in the sunshine. Inside the butterfly house, it is as warm as a tropical island.

The butterflies landed on us and you must be careful not to step on them because they may land in the walkway, too. Children were trying to get butterflies to crawl onto their hands. The young greeter warned each visitor not to touch any of the butterflies wings because our hands produce oils that can compromise their wings and this can jeopardize their ability to fly. I wanted to say something to a boy who kept pursuing butterflies, but I didn't. I did gently advise a young girl who was doing the same to be very careful not to touch the butterflies because it will harm them.

Many of the butterflies have damaged wings from flying up against the glass windows. Their instinct is to fly into the blue sky towards the sun. If they should find their way outdoors right now they would perish in the cold. There's a bittersweet side to visiting the butterfly house and seeing the broken wings, but I go and pay the $12 so that I can watch them fly in lazy patterns in the hothouse air, let them land on me if they want, and observe them as they alight on the fragrant flowers growing abundantly in the sanctuary.

I'm sure I will return, although I don't know when. The population of butterflies will increase to its maximum capacity in July. I haven't visited in July in over four years, but I wish to. Have you ever visited a butterfly house?

Thank you for reading 📚 ❤️.

This is my five-minute freewrite
using prompt let's visit by @felt.buzz. I challenge you to join the freewrite @daily.prompt challenge and add @freewritehouse for regular contests!

#IAmAliveChallenge join us on Discord, and check out our Hive Community.Made in Canva

credit @tattooedjay