Discover the Deadly Side of Plants: A Tropical Butterfly Conservatory Tour

Friday, October 16, 2026.
6:00 to 7:00 p.m.

Join Butterfly Pavilion’s Senior Horticulture Director, Amy Yarger, for an unforgettable exploration of the darker side of the plant kingdom.

As you stroll through our tropical butterfly conservatory, you’ll encounter the world’s most intriguing and roguish plants. Learn how carnivorous plants trap their prey, discover the deceptive strategies of orchids, and delve into the world of toxic plant compounds that can affect insects—and sometimes even humans! 

Venture into our lush tropical butterfly conservatory on this guided, informative tour, where beauty masks deadly intentions.

• Witness the shocking hunting techniques of carnivorous plants.
• Uncover the seductive lies orchids tell to lure unsuspecting pollinators.
• Explore the hidden world of toxic plant compounds that can fell insects—and even humans!
• Learn from one of our experts about the fascinating adaptations, defenses, and deadly strategies hiding throughout the conservatory.

Amy Yarger

Amy has been with Butterfly Pavilion since May of 2000! She currently leads Butterfly Pavilion’s local pollinator habitat initiatives, such as the Baseline Pollinator District and the Urban Prairies Project, which restores habitat in urban and suburban green spaces in Westminster and Broomfield. Amy has also installed pollinator habitat gardens throughout the community at locations such as Sprout City Farms, Clear Creek Valley Park and Good Samaritan Hospital. Her articles have been published in Colorado Gardener, Aquilegia and the journal for the Association for Zoological Horticulture. Through habitat gardening and education, Amy hopes to create a closer connection to nature and a greater understanding about the need for biodiversity locally and globally.