Butterfly House

This is the only butterfly house in Arkansas. It opened in Fall of 2011. The house was designed  by David McKee, a student of Fay Jones. It’s architecture resembles a butterfly's wings.

The metamorphosis of our native butterflies is from May to October. And we only have native butterflies here at the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks. In the right season, you can usually spot each stage of a butterfly’s life cycle; which is: egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, and adult butterfly.  During the winter, most butterflies go into a state of dormancy. Many go into this dormant state in their chrysalis or caterpillar stage, while a few spend the winter as an egg or butterfly. The monarch is the only Ozark native butterfly that migrates to a warmer climate in the winter. All the others are still here. Dormant and hiding somewhere in the leaves or stems.

Inside you probably won't see fluttering butterflies in winter. Butterflies need for it to be 85 degrees to fly. But you may find a chrysalis to view. If you do go inside to find a chrysalis, please stay on the path. Some butterflies may be hibernating under the leaves or mulch and you wouldn't want to step on them.