TAMPA, Fla. — A bug zoo has opened in the Little Red Wagon Native Nursery, giving visitors a chance to see some of the smallest zoo animals around.

Native caterpillars and exotic reptiles await. 

Owner Anita Camacho created it to shine a light on the secret lives of insects.

And she tries to make a difference. 

Camacho said she wants people to appreciate the importance of bugs in the food chain. She said pesticides and fertilizers kill beneficial insects, too. She said they're not just food to many — they help make food, too.

As part of the facility, caterpillars make cocoons in a butterfly emergence habitat set up at 80 degrees with 80% humidity. 

“Most species are going to emerge in seven to 10 days,” Camacho said.

When they get close to opening, Camacho carefully deposits them in a netted container to keep them together.

When butterflies emerge, she releases them into the butterfly garden for visitors to see.

“It just brings happiness to see them fluttering and getting to the flowers," Camacho said. "And I love the flowers just as much as they do."

Living exhibits of insects, beneficial plants and the butterfly garden are open Mondays through Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., with last admission at 4:30 p.m. On Sundays, they are open from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the last admission is at 4 p.m. 

Tickets can be purchased at the registers of the nursery.