Butterflies, both tropical and local, are our specialty! Our Tropical Conservatory is home to thousands of butterflies from around the globe. From finger-length zebra longwings to hand-sized paper kites, we have more than 50 different species at any given time.
They arrive in special express packages from butterfly farms all over the tropics to be placed in our emergence center, where the caterpillars complete their transformation by emerging from their cocoons and chrysalids to stretch their wings in the bright Colorado sun.
During the warmer months, you'll find a host of local butterflies attracted to the many colorful and nectar-filled plants that populate our Outdoor Gardens.
Wings of Scales
Butterfly and moth wings are covered by thousands of tiny scales that combine to create colorful wing patterns and enable the butterfly to find a mate, communicate and hide from predators.
Butterflies and moths are in the same family, Lepidoptera, which means "scaled wings."
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