Durant and 50 volunteers last month replanted 600 plants on two acres around the interpretive center with 80 species of native trees and shrubbery to attract more butterflies.

As with the butterfly house, volunteers planted host plants, where the butterflies spend their caterpillar and chrysalis stages, and nectar plants, where adult butterflies feed.

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Larry Shaw, president of the Orange County chapter of the North American Butterfly Assn., said the nature center's butterfly house is special because butterflies can be seen up close. If viewers are wearing yellow, he said, they could end up with one or two of the colorful insects landing on them.

Most dedicated butterfly enthusiasts prefer to study and photograph them, he said, rather than continuing the old-fashioned practice of displaying them on pins.

"In Orange County in the spring, you can see 50 to 60 species of butterflies," Shaw said. "People like them for their elegant beauty and grace. They don't even realize they're insects."

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Butterfly house

Environmental Nature Center

Address: 1601 16th St.,

Newport Beach

Hours: Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Closed Sundays and most holidays.

Butterfly house hours:

Mon.- Sat. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Cost: Admission is free*

For information: (949) 645-8489 or http://www.encenter.org/

To learn more about butterflies: Starting in February, the Orange County chapter of the North American Butterfly Assn. meets the fourth Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Irvine Ranch Water District,

15600 Sand Canyon Ave., Irvine.

*The center relies on memberships, gifts and grants to fund its $400,000 annual budget

Source: Environmental Nature Center