A butterfly in the greenhouse at Jiaxing's Panjiabang village. [Photo/Tide News]

A new nature education center featuring butterflies and beetles has opened in Panjiabang village in Jiaxing's Xiuzhou district, East China's Zhejiang province, offering children an immersive way to learn about insects and biodiversity.

The site is Jiaxing's first nature education base dedicated to both butterflies and beetles, combining butterfly breeding, live insect displays, beetle cultivation, science education, and specimen-making workshops.

Its centerpiece is a 500-square-meter climate-controlled butterfly greenhouse, home to nearly 2,000 butterflies representing more than 10 species, including leaf and swallowtail butterflies. Visitors can observe the insects' full life cycle, from eggs to adults.

According to Shen Tao, manager of the center, many of the butterfly species were introduced from Pu'er in Yunnan province, where the family has long been engaged in butterfly breeding. Shen plans to expand its population to about 20,000 butterflies, enabling year-round educational programs.

Beside the greenhouse is a three-story education building that includes a live beetle breeding area, a classroom displaying insect specimens from around the world, and hands-on workshops where visitors learn to prepare insect specimens under professional guidance.