At 9 years of age, Sam witnessed the incredible transformation of a homely caterpillar into a beautiful Monarch butterfly, which forever captured his interest in the butterfly world. By the age of 15, he began studying and raising Monarch butterflies in upstate New York, and in 1975, his combined efforts in butterfly banding research provided valuable data in understanding the annual migration of the Monarchs on the eastern half of North America to their over-wintering sites in Mexico.

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       And thus, for the past 30 years, Sam's creative imagination and determination have given him the opportunity to transform numerous corporate and residential walls into a kaleidoscopic spectacle of colors with his butterfly artwork, build The Key West Butterfly & Nature Conservatory which is Key Wests #1 tourist attraction and create The Trophia Butterfly Foundation.

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       From a hobby, to scientific projects, to lifelong dream - Sam Trophia's artwork and community work are truly the culmination of his love and appreciation of the butterfly world.

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