Wanted: Docents Who Love Butterflies, in Chesterfield

Try to frown when walking through the Tropical Conservatory in the Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House in Chesterfield. It’s impossible.

More than 2,000 butterflies of every possible color combination flutter in front of your eyes, land on your shoulders and ride with you as you walk through the lush foliage and colorful tropical flowers in the 8,000-square foot conservatory, a rainforest of movement.

Docents love it here, and Jessica Deering, supervisor of guest services, is looking for a few more. The house likes to have 15 docents, and they are now down to nine.

Docents team teach structured classes in classroom programs and, Deering said, they provide an invaluable service.

“Schools sign up for the specific classes they want,” Deering said. “The basic layout has been planned for the docents, but they get to plan how they want to present the class. We provide the props and the hands-on material.”

Deering said the docent program is vital to the mission of the Butterfly House. "One of the things I do is try to help the volunteers understand how they connect with the mission. We’re trying to get people to understand the natural world, its importance, and how it’s all connected," she said.

“It’s easier to talk to kids,” she said. “They’re still forming their world views, values and belief systems. Reaching out and letting them know the natural world is important and that they can have an impact on it is really vital. “

She said some children from the inner city who visit the Butterfly House who have not had a chance to have such an experience.

“Having them come out and see and learn all of this is a great experience for them,” she said.

Adults can also learn a few things from the docents. Many people from farming communities see bugs as destroyers of crops and do not know that there are bugs, such as spiders, that go after those same crop-eating critters.

“Our docents allow us to provide this service,” Deering said. “We don’t have enough staff to teach all the kids who want to come to our classes, and having the docents reach out to this audience is wonderful.”

She said docents bring their individual experiences to the classroom.

“One of our docents used to be a music teacher,” Deering said. “She would incorporate music or have kids do a butterfly dance, so having all those different skills and experiences just brings that much more to the classes.”

Ballwin resident Lois Cromwell has been a docent since 2002 and said likes everything about the program.

“I love teaching the little children,” she said. “I love to see the wonder in their eyes. As a docent, I know something about butterflies, and I hate seeing people, including adults, coming to the Butterfly House and not knowing what they’re seeing.

“So many adults just take them for granted,” she said, “I want them to learn about these precious animals and how important they are to humanity and our ecosystem.”

She said teaching and sharing were her favorite aspects of being a docent. “I like learning. I don’t want to grow old. I want to grow up, and that goes back to my learning and sharing what I’ve been taught, and I want to continue to learn and share.”

Those interesting in learning, sharing, and cozying up to butterflies and other winged and many-legged insects, or just wanting more information about the docent program, call Jessica Deering at 636-530-0076, ext. 12, or email jeesica.deering@mobot.org.

The Butterfly House is located at 15193 Olive Blvd. at Faust Park in Chesterfield. For general information, visit www.butterflyhouse.org  or call 636-530-0076.