The dream of a true believer
Anita Camacho, Butterfly Tampa’s CEO, has been an advocate for organic gardening and respect for nature since she was a young girl. “I have wanted to bring a butterfly conservatory to the Tampa Bay area for many years. After visiting many of them around the world, I felt it was a much-needed asset in our community,” she said.
“There’s a lot to do in Tampa Bay, but this is different from other attractions. It will be a peaceful, tranquil place where people of all ages can come to reconnect with nature and learn about the important roles native plants and insects play in our environment.”
In addition to butterflies, Butterfly Tampa will feature revolving exhibits of pollinator-friendly plants as well as bees, reptiles, insects, arthropods, moths and other creatures. Education programs will be offered to members and visitors, tour groups and students.
“I have always been fascinated by the metamorphosis of the butterfly,” said Anita. “It’s amazing to see what the tiny creature undergoes as it begins as a tiny speck of an egg on the underside of a leaf and transforms into a beautiful creature with wings. People view the butterfly as a symbol of endurance, change, beauty, hope and life.
Through education and outreach, our goal is to increase awareness about the importance of pollinators and our natural environment. We aim to inspire people about the ease and joy of natural gardening for homes, businesses, schools, and farms. We intend to work with our city, and neighboring cities, to do the same in the hope of helping to reverse the ongoing destruction of butterfly and pollinator habitats in our local areas by providing a place to experience and understand nature and beauty.”
To inspire conservation of butterflies and other pollinators, restoration of their habitats, and protection of the environment through research, public education, and recreation.
Carissa serves as the Operations and Education Director at Butterfly Tampa, where she helps oversee their diverse programs and initiatives. She applies her expertise in managing education programs, coordinating community outreach, and fostering partnerships to further the organization’s mission. Her favorite animal at Butterfly Tampa is the White's Tree Frog, Jarah. She holds a B.S. in Political Science from the University of North Georgia. In her free time, she enjoys being outdoors with her family or working on her passion for growing and cultivating plants.
Shiv is Butterfly Tampa's Curator of Herpetology. He holds a B.S. in Environmental Science and an M.S. in Biology from the University of South Florida. Shiv has numerous active research programs, which focus primarily on molecular ecology and diseases in herpetofauna. At Butterfly Tampa, his favorite animal is Brooks, our Apalachicola Kingsnake. In addition to a passion for wildlife, Shiv enjoys cooking, climbing mountains, and watching cricket in his free time.
Anne is Butterfly Tampa's Curator of Entomology. She holds a B.S. in Biology, concentrated in Botany and is currently an M.S. candidate in Conservation Biology at the University of South Florida. Her research involves the reproductive and maternal care strategies of a critically imperiled Florida scrub millipede in addition to their ecological interactions and population dynamics. At Butterfly Tampa, her favorite arthropod is our bess beetle, Bessie. In her free time, Anne enjoys rock climbing, painting, and reading next to her cat, Salem.
Natalie is one of Butterfly Tampa's insect caretakers. She holds a B.S. in Biology, concentrated in Botany and is currently an M.S. candidate in Conservation Biology at the University of South Florida. Her research attempts to describe the effects that anthropogenic alternation in wetlands have on the floral diversity of Florida's lakes. At Butterfly Tampa, Natalie's favorite animal is Mo, one of our discoid cockroaches (but don't tell the other 30 of them!). In her free time, she enjoys hiking, gardening, and photography.
Zach is one of Butterfly Tampa's insect caretakers. He is currently pursuing a B.S. in Biology, concentrated in Ecology and Evolutionary studies. He holds a special interest for ants and spiders, which he plans to investigate further through research projects involving arthropod phylogeny. At Butterfly Tampa, his favorite arthropod is Lucas, our regal jumping spider. In his free time, he likes to collect retro video games and to go for walks at different nature preserves in Tampa.
Margot is Butterfly Tampa's webmaster and project manager since 2019! Her favorite butterfly is the tiny but colorful Atala and her favorite native plant is Coral honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens). In her spare time, Margot enjoys retail therapy and spending time with her favorite human: her granddaughter.
Chloe is Butterfly Tampa's content creator for TikTok and accounting intern. She is pursuing a B.S. in Management with a minor in Business Analytics. At Butterfly Tampa, her favorite reptile is Kate, a Whites tree frog native to Australia. In Chloe’s free time, she enjoys reading, working out, and shopping.
4113 Henderson Blvd Tampa, FL 33629 • 813.551.BFLY (2359) • [email protected]