Tickets are a little pricey, but included with the membership (which we don't have). You are supposed to sign up for a certain time, but I recommend going first thing in the morning. The line gets long quickly, but we went right up to the front since we got there when it opened. They only let a few people in at a time, and there can only be one door open at a time so that the butterflies can't escape.
We got in and went right to work looking around. Robyn originally came for the invertebrates, but she stayed for the plants. They had so many different species, all labeled.
We only stayed together for a bit, time enough to get a selfie and then we split up and went hunting.
There were so many varieties of butterfly. It was crazy. Every time I turned around, there was a new color and texture to see. Check out some of our finds.
A lot of the butterflies were resting. When they rest the bright colors are often hidden. You can see the outside that looks much like a tree so they can camouflage.
The Biosphere is nice and warm, kept tropical for the butterflies. This picture that Robyn took shows how cold it still was outside.
The bright blue butterflies were almost always fluttering around, but I could never catch a good shot of them on the move. I stuck to the ones eating or drinking or holding still in general.
Butterflies would land on people all the time. Sometimes they would leave quickly and other times, they would set up shop. I saw this lady with a butterfly on her arm and she had another on her leg. Twenty minutes later I found her again, still with the butterflies on her.
I didn't have one land on me, but Robyn had a visitor on her hair. Some lady was nice enough to take a picture for her.
On one wall, was a window display where you can see the butterflies at every stage of hatching. There were rows and rows of chrysalis'. I never knew there were so many varieties of butterflies, or cocoons. Some look like dead leaves and others look like shiny gold earrings. They are so very different.
The Biosphere is not gigantic, but it is good sized. You can see here about how long.
And did you notice all the plants? I was surprised to see that Robyn took mostly plant pictures. Some were quite excellent.
I really liked the blue butterflies. I felt they were the most playful. They were usually the ones flitting about. I watched one try to get another to play. He bugged that butterfly sitting there for at least five minutes. No dice though. He was not going to be moved.
Eventually, it was time to go. We left the sauna and explored the rest of the exhibit. There is plenty to see in other areas as well. They have a LOT of creatures in other cages, and most of them are spiders. So many spiders. Yuck.
Many interesting bugs I had never seen. Check out this one. What would you call it?
How about a Rhinoceros Katydid. Yep, that is what it is.
On the way out, I got one more picture of Robyn in the lady bug jar. She felt a little foolish going in there, but it is okay to act like a child. I do all the time.
It was a very fun morning discovering lots of new things. It was a little magical I must say. If I had a membership, I would go more often. Especially in the winter, since it was nice and warm.
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