The South Coast Botanical Garden in SoCal presents the Tropical Butterflies Exhibit in its newly-built pavilion. The exhibition will run through July 31st, 2021 and feature live butterflies in their natural habitat at every stage of their lifecycle. The ticket, which costs $5 for members, and up to $22 for non-members, permits entry into South Coast Botanic Garden and butterfly pavilion.
The Tropical Butterflies Exhibit begins outside in a newly-designed garden area featuring a host, emergence chamber, and nectar plants, before making its way into the pavilion, where you might have a personal encounter with these beautiful winged insects.
The tours are guided and educational, led by docents to improve your viewing experience and interaction with the butterflies. They provide interesting information about the insects, including their habitat, appearance, lifespan, breeding, and migration.
You’ll learn cool facts like how butterflies taste with their feet, sleep upside down, have transparent wings, and how they can’t fly when it’s cold. The docents also explain in great detail why the tropical butterflies are not allowed to procreate in the pavilion.
Butterfly spotting can take time, so slow down to observe while in the building. You can visit the feeding stations and puddling areas for a closer look or the emergence chamber to watch new butterflies and moths escape their pupal casings.
The tropical butterflies of this exhibit can be found worldwide, primarily in the Americas. They were raised on farms by butterfly farmers, specifically for use in butterfly exhibits. While in the pavilion, remember that the butterflies often lie on the ground for warmth, so watch your step.
Because the butterflies have such a short lifespan, they will be allowed to live out the rest of their lives in the garden after the exhibit. The South Coast Botanical Garden will not release them into the wild since they’re farm-raised and may be predisposed to diseases.
The Tropical Butterflies Exhibit at South Coast Botanic Garden is the first of its kind to be hosted. For tickets and in-depth information, check out the garden’s website. Have you visited this special exhibit yet? Are you planning to go? Tell us about it in the comments!
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