Butterfly Experience FAQs and Policies

Pre-purchased tickets are highly recommended, but not required. The Butterfly Experience is free for Botanical Gardens members, but all attendees must have a ticket. Don’t miss out on this mesmerizing opportunity!

Though the exact number of butterflies emerging varies day to day, there will be hundreds in the exhibit at any given time to make for an enjoyable experience. 

On average you will see 10-15 different species of butterflies. All of our butterflies are native to the continental United States. Some of our favorites include swallowtails, monarchs, painted ladies, and red admirals!  

Our butterflies are sourced from USDA certified butterfly farms in Florida, Kentucky, and South Carolina. Our butterflies have been raised specifically for educational purposes. They are shipped to us as chrysalids. Upon arrival, we hang them inside of our case until they are ready to emerge.  

Visitors are not permitted to pet, touch, or hold the butterflies. Touching a butterfly’s delicate wings can harm them, and we want to make sure our flying friends are safe in their home. There is a chance that butterflies may land on you, in which case visitors should remain still or move slowly until they fly to a new spot. We encourage you to take photos throughout your experience, but be mindful of moving carefully in their space.

At this time, our butterflies are fed a special diet of nectar and fresh fruit by our trained staff. Please refrain from feeding our butterflies or touching their food sources in the exhibit.  

The Butterfly Experience is housed in our Tropical Orchard, or greenhouse 12. Your overall visit time is expected to be 1-1.5 hours. Your time in the butterfly space will be approximately 15 minutes, but you are free to spend as much or as little time with our butterflies as you please! This window will give you plenty of time to see our fluttering friends. Entrance to the Butterfly Experience is not timed.

Yes, strollers, wheelchairs, and other mobility devices are permitted in the Butterfly Experience. All belongings, clothing, and devices will need to be scanned on your way out to ensure there are no hitchhiking butterflies on your way out! 

Yes. Group visits can be booked through our Education department. Groups must be 20 people or more. For more information and to book your group visit, please visit our Group visits page.

The Butterfly Experience will not be open after 4pm. Butterflies’ circadian rhythms are closely connected with the rising and setting of the sun. As the sun moves lower in the sky, butterflies become much less active and will go into a restful period— just like us!