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Butterfly World – Coconut Creek
an OCTOBER 2012 Florida Trips Magazine Feature
BUTTERFLY WORLD
by Bob Carpenter
Photos used by permission © 2012 Butterfly World
Butterflies are prime models of nature’s balancing act. It would take an extensive examination of our surroundings to find creatures of more beautiful heritage springing from an equivalently repugnant lineage. Part of the counterpoise may be that such extraordinary beauty can only be sustained for a short time—nature’s assurance of appreciation, lest it become too common.
There is a place, however, where these delicate winged spectacles are ordinary, even abundant. Butterfly World is a ten-acre tropical environment where on a given day you can observe upwards to 20,000 of these astonishing insects fluttering about, representing at least fifty species, and over the course of a year as many as 150 different varieties. Their pleasant appearance seems counter to the stigma applied to insects, but they are of that class, undergoing a metamorphosis from creepy crawly caterpillars to colorful airborne exhibitionists.
Butterfly World, opening in 1988, was immediately popular and quickly expanded to become not only the world’s largest butterfly exposition, but also the largest hummingbird aviary in the country. It’s divided into various settings including displays of diverse insects, both mounted and live, a Hanging Garden & Butterfly Emerging area, and a Tropical Rain Forest Aviary with a waterfall and tropical flowers. Here you will find what is claimed to be the largest collection of Passion Flower vines in the world.
Challenging the butterflies for bright colors are Lorikeets—the medium-sized tree-dwelling parrots from Australia and southeastern Asia. Well-suited to the environment, Lorikeets are characterized by vivid plumage and brush-tipped tongues specialized for feeding on nectar of fruits and flowers.
Compatible with the butterflies are the hummingbirds that glide about in the same atmosphere, hovering and often halting their vibrating wings long enough for you to get a clear look that seems nearly impossible out of doors. Larger birds are predators of butterflies and the protection inside the aviaries approximates a double life span—averaging only about a week in the wild. The enclosure also shields them from the ravages of nature like winds and hard rains that damage their gossamer wings.
Also a research facility and butterfly farm, the most interesting feature of Butterfly World for many is the Emerging Area where butterflies are raised and can be observed in every stage of development, including eggs, caterpillar, and the cocoons enclosing the pupa in their transformational state.
Some species of caterpillars, you will discover are quite finicky about the plants they eat. Monarch caterpillars, for example, feed exclusively on Milkweed, and like others, voraciously hungry in that stage, can be quite destructive. The adult Monarch, however, is less discriminating, flitting over a large variety of plants pollinating as it goes, completing nature’s balance by off-setting in reproduction what the caterpillars devour.
You’ll also learn to differentiate butterflies from moths. While similar in appearance, one of the major differences is that moths are night fliers while butterflies are solar-powered. They are most active on warm sunny days, but in this climate, that means there are very few slow days at Butterfly World.
There are no tripods allowed, but bring a camera with a large capacity because there are literally hundreds of shots to take. And, in addition to the winged enchantment, there are always soft melodies piped into the air, contributing to the magic of this place. You can buy little cups of nectar and feed the Lorikeets right out of your hand, and when hunger becomes your own desire there are two outside cafes serving snacks or lunch items, plus picnic areas are immediately next-door in Tradewinds Park.
Butterfly World is located at 3600 West Sample Road in Coconut Creek. Hours are Mon-Sat from 9am-5pm and Sun from 11am to 5pm. Admission is $24. Butterfly Gardening Workshops are at 1pm--rain or shine--on 10/13, 11/10, and 12/8. For more information call 954-977-4434.
Email: gardens@butterflyworld.com
or go to www.butterflyworld.com.
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