The Butterflies Are Back!

The hugely popular Butterflies in the Garden exhibit, co-hosted by the Fort Worth Botanic Garden and the Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT), returns to Fort Worth on February 29 and runs through April 12. The largest exhibit of live, exotic butterflies in north Texas, Butterflies in the Garden offers educational programs, exciting exhibits, and more to visitors.  

This year’s theme is “Celebrate the Change,” in honor of the Botanic Garden’s newly restored conservatory. Following devastating hail damage in 2016, the conservatory was closed for many months for repairs. Much of the glass in the conservatory was replaced, new handrails were installed, and many of the damaged plants were either replaced or heavily pruned.  

Now restored, the conservatory is ready to host this year’s Butterflies in the Garden. “Beautiful, exotic butterflies of every hue and size will be flying in the conservatory,” said Gail Manning, the Botanic Garden’s entomologist. “People will have a chance to walk among hundreds of fluttering butterflies from around the world, watch them land on tropical flowers and lush foliage — maybe even on their shoulders — and learn about the amazing life cycle of the butterfly.” 

The exhibit will feature Central American butterflies such as the Starry Night Butterfly (Hamadryas Iaodamia), the Mosaic (Colobura dirce),  the elegant Glass Wing (Greta oto), Small Postman (Heliconius erato), Pink-Spotted Cattleheart (Parides photinus), the green Malachite (Siproeta stelenes), Tiger Longwing (Heliconius hecale), and Blue Morpho (Morpho peleides).  Of these, the Blue Morpho is the most striking and a perennial favorite among visitors. Also included in the exhibit will be butterflies from North and South America, Africa and Asia. 

Tickets for timed entrance may be purchased online at www.fwbg.org/bitg. Admission is $12 for ages 16-64; $10 for seniors (65+); $8 for ages 6-15; and free for children under five. The BRIT’s GROW members receive a discounted price of $10 for adults, $8 for seniors, and $6 for children. For those who want to visit both the Garden and the butterfly exhibit, the price is $18 for adults and seniors and $10 for children.