Butterfly House
Enter the Butterfly House and see up to 50 species of native and exotic butterflies. Witness the butterfly life cycle as they emerge from chrysalides, take their first flights and interact with plants in a natural setting. Open from June to September, Botanica’s 2,880 square foot, net-covered Butterfly House is a habitat dedicated to education and exploration around butterflies.
Enjoy the captivating display of nearly 400 butterflies in free flight. Observe plant life needed to attract butterflies and try identifying different butterfly species. On the south end of the building, find the Hatching House. Here butterflies emerge from chrysalides and dry their wings. Then they start shaking their wings and prepare to take their first flight. A volunteer helps them into the Butterfly House to feed on nectar plants.
Dedicated: 1998
- Butterflies like heat, preferring 75 degrees or higher temperatures. If you visit on an overcast or cooler day, they may be stationary on plants or the roof of the Butterfly House. During an eclipse a few years ago, all the butterflies went still. The sun came out and they took off immediately and became active again.
- Each week, approximately 150 Butterfly Chrysalides are stocked in the Butterfly House. Butterflies live only about two weeks. The chrysalides typically come from Florida or Texas and cost about $6 each. Ants love to eat chrysalides. Please do not bring food or drinks into the Butterfly House.
- Most butterflies drink from nectar plants. Some of the nectar plants in the Butterfly House come from area nurseries and include Lantana and Pentas. To avoid caterpillars, there are no host plant varieties in the Butterfly House.
- In summer, just outside the Butterfly House, you will see the Datura plant, more commonly known as Devil’s Trumpet. Other common names include Moonflower, Jimsonweed, Devil's Weed and Hell's Bells. All species of Datura are poisonous, especially their seeds and flowers. They cause respiratory depression, arrhythmias, hallucinations, psychosis and death if taken internally. The seeds of Datura are analgesic, anthelmintic and anti-inflammatory. As such, they are used in the treatment of stomach and intestinal pain that results from worm infestation, toothaches and fever from inflammation.
- Also outside the Butterfly House, you might see bright green balls on the Balloon Plant. They are covered with soft bristles, earning them a plethora of names including Balloon Cotton Bush and Balloon Milkweed.
- From late fall through early spring, this space transforms into a Pansy House. Home to 24 different varieties of Pansies, the netting and well-protected environment produces exceptionally large flowers.
- Two sets of double doors at the entrance and exit of the Butterfly House help keep the butterflies inside. Even though many of these butterflies are native to Kansas, the chrysalides come from out of state and must stay inside this secure environment.
The Butterfly House Location
