32 texashighways.com
G E TAWAY | RIO GRANDE VALLEY BUTTERFLY TRAIL
OPENING SPREAD: Photographer Paul
Denman strolls one of the Valley’s butterfly
gardens. THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM
TOP: Valley Nature Center in Weslaco; a
pipevine swallowtail; butterfly-watching
around the blooms of an esperanza tree; a
zebra heliconian; stop for a bite at Nana’s
Taqueria in Weslaco.electric-green malachites; and
the zebra heliconian, whose
black-and-white stripes really do
resemble its namesake.
For true butterfly enthusiasts,
though, the flamboyant show-
stoppers are just part of the ap-
peal. Executive Director Mari-
anna Treviño Wright refers to the
homeliest of specimens as Little
Brown Jobbers, or LBJs. “There
are lots of butterflies here that
are really special and rare,” she
says, “but to someone who doesn’t
know butterflies really well, it’s
like, ‘Oh, I just saw another LBJ.’”1 P.M.
Winged Weslaco
Make a pit stop at La Estación
Bakery in Mission, which offers
a full menu of Mexican breakfast
and lunch classics. Be sure to try
the signature café lechero—cof-
fee with milk prepared with a
flourish right at your table—and
an extra-large pan dulce.
About 20 miles east, the small
city of Weslaco contains no less
than three parks with well-de-
veloped butterfly gardens. Their
close proximity to one another
makes for an ideal destination.
Near the entrance of the Valley
Nature Center, a sunny garden
attracts notable species, includ-
ing the rare tropical Erato heli-
conian. Behind the visitor cen-
ter, an extensive network of trails
is dotted with butterfly feeding
stations. There you’ll find logs
slathered with a mixture known
as “butterfly brew,” made with
ripe bananas, brown sugar, and
dark beer. The beer continues
the fermentation process to cre-
ate a pungent, protein-rich food
source the insects can’t resist.
The 15-acre urban natureof campaign paraphernalia,
butterfly-patterned pillows, and
a library generously stocked with
biographies and field guides.
Before you retire to bed,
consider driving a few blocks
to the Loretto Bistro, where you
can enjoy a sumptuous dinner
of fish tacos in homemade flour
tortillas with a Sriracha-lime
cream sauce.Saturday
9 A.M.
Butterfly, USA
Compared to birders, who hit
the trails at the crack of dawn,
butterfliers have it easy: Sun-
loving butterflies don’t really
become active until at least
9 a.m. That leaves plenty of
time for savoring a homemade
breakfast of waffles and
tacos delivered piping hot
to the kitchen table at the
bed-and-breakfast.
Fueled for the day, head for the
National Butterfly Center, which
the North American Butterfly
Association established in 2003
to further its mission of butterfly
habitat conservation. The helpful
staff in the visitor center can
supply you with maps, field
guides, and a butterfly checklist.
From there, it’s off to explore
the center’s 100 acres of but-
terfly gardens, woodland trails,
and bird- and butterfly-viewing
areas. The sheer number of but-
terflies alone is cause for wonder,
but what makes the experience
truly incredible is the kalei-
doscope of colors. Some of the
more brilliant winged residents
include enormous blue-and-
purple pipevine swallowtails;