FMS Butterfly Station

Information for the tour:

The butterfly station tours include the following activities: A walk through the courtyard, the butterfly house, the metamorphosis room, arts and crafts, and a game hallway. expect to spend 1 to 1 and half hours here.

Why and when was the Butterfly Station started?

The FMS Butterfly Station started in the year 1999 and it began as an effort to educate students about how to help our special environment, the Pine Bush. 

What is the Pinebush and why is it important?

The Pinebush is the special ecosystem that incorporates most of Guilderland/Colonie. About 20,000 years ago a glacier sat above the area. It melted into a very large lake, the bottom of which was the Pinebush. When the lake drained about 12,000 years ago, it left the sandy bottom of the lake as the regular soil. Now, many years later, plants have adapted to this very specific soil. Because of its unique soil, this ecosystem is called a Pine Barren which is very rare. There are only about 12 left in the world.

If you would like more information on this gem of an ecosystem, please visit the Pine Bush website:

https://www.albanypinebush.org/