Butterfly Exhibit

March 23, 2014
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Butterfly Exhibit at Phoenix Desert Botanical Garden

The delights of the Butterfly Exhibit at Phoenix’s Desert Botanical Garden

A glimpse of a butterfly as it flutters by is likely to bring a smile to your face. Its intricate design of colours and carefree, elusive flight speak of beauty and freedom. The metamorphosis from caterpillar to butterfly has become a metaphor for resurrections and transformation.

The Spring Butterfly Exhibit at Phoenix’s Desert Botanical Garden provided a wonderful opportunity to surround myself with butterflies.

Butterfly house with flowering plants at Phoenix Desert Botanical Garden

The butterfly house is filled with flowering plants and dishes of orange slices and nectar to feed the butterflies

A painted lady and two white peacock butterflies

A painted lady and two white peacock butterflies

Butterflies attracted to the orange slices at Phoenix Desert Botanical Garden

Butterflies attracted to the orange slices

Signs in the exhibit provide information about the butterflies. Butterflies need an air temperature of at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit (15.5 Celsius) to warm their wings for flying. Butterflies visit flowers for nectar, their main energy source. Butterflies roost in trees or plants during inclement weather and at night. They need at least 14 hours of rest a day.

Julia butterfly

Julia butterfly

White peacock butterfly

White peacock butterfly

Butterfly landing on shirt at Phoenix Desert Botanical Garden Butterfly Exhibit

Butterfly lands on a friend’s shirt

Luna moth

Luna moth

Butterflies and moths may look alike but there are differences. Butterfly bodies are usually thin and their antennae are clubbed. Moth bodies are often plump and hairy. The antennae of male moths are feathery. Butterflies are active during the day. Moths are active at night.

Zebra longwing butterfly

Zebra longwing butterfly

Pipevine swallowtail butterfly

Pipevine swallowtail butterfly

Butterflies on leaves at Phoenix Desert Botanical Garden Butterfly Exhibit

Desert Botanical Garden presents a butterfly exhibit in spring and another one in fall. The annual Spring Butterfly Exhibit usually starts in March and runs into May. The fall exhibit may start at the end of September and run until mid-November.

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PIN ITThe Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, Arizona has a delight Butterfly Exhibit every spring and fall. #Phoenix #Arizona #garden #butterfly

This post is linked to Travel Photo Mondays


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  • Reply
    Noel Morata
    March 24, 2014 at 2:01 pm

    I always love going to butterfly parks…sweet visit!

  • Reply
    Viv
    March 24, 2014 at 4:23 pm

    This is a handy travel tip for our upcoming trip to Phoenix. Certainly adding the Desert Botanical Garden to our list of things to do.

  • Reply
    Patti Morrow
    March 25, 2014 at 12:40 pm

    I’ve seen some of these butterfly exhibits in a few places that I’ve traveled to, but I’ve never been. The photos are lovely, and I think I’ll include a visit next time there’s an opportunity to tour a butterfly garden.

  • Reply
    Corinne Vail
    March 25, 2014 at 12:42 pm

    Oooohh! Awww! Look at that one! I love butterflies…nice photos!

  • Reply
    Michelle
    March 25, 2014 at 2:06 pm

    WoW! I’ve never seen such wonderful photos of butterflys. I visited Tuscon last Fall. maybe Phoenix will be next?

  • Reply
    Doreen Pendgracs
    March 25, 2014 at 2:09 pm

    What an amazing experience that must have been, Donna! So many varieties of butterflies to discover. Makes me think that spring may finally be coming!

  • Reply
    Marilyn Jones
    March 25, 2014 at 3:09 pm

    I love butterflies! Your photos are beautiful!!

  • Reply
    Nancie
    March 25, 2014 at 4:52 pm

    Butterflies can be so much fun to photograph. They always remind me of spring, which seems to be on the way!

  • Reply
    JeriWB
    March 25, 2014 at 5:31 pm

    I’ve only been in one butterfly exhibit, but I really liked it and got tons of great pictures.

  • Reply
    blondebrunettetravel
    March 25, 2014 at 5:38 pm

    Beautiful photos! The only time I was in a butterfly garden was also probably the only time I didn’t have a camera (even a phone) on me so I’m so glad you took these pictures!

  • Reply
    Irene S. Levine
    March 25, 2014 at 5:40 pm

    I’ve only visited the Garden over the Christmas season. Seems like each season has its special draws~

  • Reply
    A Taste for Travel
    March 25, 2014 at 6:06 pm

    I had no idea Phoenix had a butterfly garden but I’m glad they’re preserving and protecting these endangered species. There is a large butterfly conservatory here in Niagara Ontario and I was told that butterflies are attracted to red clothing so I’m not surprised to see one landed on the red shirt in the photo!

  • Reply
    Josie Schneider
    March 26, 2014 at 8:04 am

    Hi Donna,
    I SO needed this post and your pretty photos this morning — Here it is March 26th and we have snow today in Michigan. This has been such a brutal winter that won’t end!

    Seeing the green vegetation and beautiful butterflies is a jolt of freshness and warmth. I thank you!
    Josie

  • Reply
    Sand In My Suitcase
    March 27, 2014 at 4:42 pm

    The exhibit looks lovely… We saw thousands of Monarch butterflies recently in a natural butterfly sanctuary high in the mountains near Morelia, Mexico. That’s where they migrate to overwinter before returning back to eastern US and Canada in the spring. That was quite special…

  • Reply
    Donna Janke
    March 28, 2014 at 10:20 am

    Thanks for all the comments.

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