Species: Nessaea hewitsoni
Location: San Francisco, 766 Valencia St.

What's cooler than a snazzy-looking butterfly? Easy. A butterfly with two snazzy-looking sides. The Hewitson's Olivewing Butterfly is exactly that. So much so that deciding which way you want to display it is going to be one of those quandaries you'll puzzle over until smoke is pouring from your ears.

Pro tip: Each side makes a rad display, so don't hurt yourself trying to decide which is the best side like we did.

All of its glamour isn't strictly for appearance, though. Like all creatures of the natural world, there's a rhyme and reason behind its look. With its wings closed, the underside looks just like a dead leaf, complete with earthy browns, leaf-like veins, and mottled patterns. This little trick is called cryptic coloration. Rather than trying to scare predators or advertise toxicity, it simply disappears into the background by looking exactly like something predators ignore every day: a dead leaf. It's one of those butterflies that's surprisingly difficult to spot in the wild until it moves.

For us, that's pretty annoying when trying to spot them while tromping through the rainforests of Central and South America, but for them, it's a blessing. Over millions of years, evolution has decided who gets to stick around and who goes the way of the dodo (although that's not entirely the dodo's fault). The Hewitson's Olivewing Butterfly is a product of that evolutionary process. The butterflies that could blend in and avoid the attention of predators were the butterflies that got to stick around. So while they may be hard to spot by scientists and rainforest enjoyers, their camouflage is literally a lifesaver.

There's a ton of other mysteries and facts behind this butterfly that we'll get into during class, and trust us, this is only scratching the surface. Maybe by the end of it you'll have decided which way to display it. No pressure or anything.

About the class:

In this hands-on, two-hour class, you will learn the full process of butterfly pinning, from hydration to pinning and preservation. Our expert instructor will guide you step by step, and you will use a Paxton Gate spreading kit to transform your moth into a preserved specimen you will get to take home and show off.

Inside each kit, you will receive:

• 1 Box of entomology pins
• 1 Anchor pin
• 4 Strips vellum paper
• Forceps
• Pinning board
  
• Instruction pamphlet

Important Details:

Classes will be held at 766 Valencia St., San Francisco.
Children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
Cancellations must be made at least 72 hours before the class to receive store credit, redeemable for merchandise or future classes.
Pre-registration is required, as materials must be prepared for each student and space is very limited. Please arrive promptly at the start time. Students are encouraged to bring lunch or snacks.