BE ADVISED: On Saturday 9/20, the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum will host the USC vs. Michigan State football game. Kickoff is at 8 pm. This event will impact traffic, parking, and wayfinding in the area due to street closures. Please consider riding the Metro E (Expo) Line and exiting at USC/Expo station.

Gray Crackers Are Making Some Noise

Keep your eyes and your ears open for these tropical visitors at the Butterfly Pavilion.

Among the dazzlingly colorful wings on display at this year's Butterfly Pavilion, one specimen stands out for its acoustics. 

While not as visually spectacular as blue morphos, gray crackers' wings have their own earthy charm. Using crypsis, naturally camouflaging colors that help them hide from predators, these butterflies try to blend into the trees. They've also evolved a very different technique to distract and confuse predators: making some noise. Learn all about the how and why of these noisy butterflies in this video with Forest Urban, NHM's Manager of Invertebrate Live Animals, or visit the Butterfly Pavilion to hear them for yourself. 

For news about the Butterfly Pavilion, click here.

Blue Morpho
Out-of-State Butterflies
Get to know our state butterfly and visitors from the tropics in this year's Butterfly Pavilion
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