The Butterfly House at Hershey Gardens
170 Hotel Rd.
Hershey, PA 17033
717-534-3492
Hershey Gardens website
HOURS: 9 am to 5 pm daily from May 23rd to Sept. 14th
This is a netted house, so if the weather isn’t looking good (rainy), then you might want to pick another day to visit. It’s not a very large butterfly garden, but it highlights the native North American butterfly species.
Be sure to note – they don’t allow you to take strollers or bobs into the house. A display showing the cocoons and emerging butterflies is at the front of the house and a staff member will be happy to teach you about the butterfly life cycle.
The Butterfly House houses around 300 butterflies representing nearly 25 butterfly species.
ACCESSIBILITY: Wheelchair accessible. brick pathways.
Read about my visit to Hershey Gardens
The Butterfly Atrium at Hershey Gardens
170 Hotel Rd.
Hershey, PA 17033
717-534-3492
Hershey Gardens website
HOURS: Open Daily
January 1st: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
January 2nd through 29th: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
January 30th through May 22nd: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., including Easter Sunday
May 23rd – September 7th: 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
September 8th – December 31st: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., with the following holiday exceptions:
Closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day; open 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. on Christmas Eve
The Butterfly Atrium is an indoor, glass-enclosed atrium full of tropical plants and butterflies. With feeding stations full of tropical fruit for the butterflies to feed from. It’s a great opportunity to view them up close.
The butterflies in the Atrium hail from North America, South and Central America, Africa, and Asia and represent many different species. There are nearly 400 butterflies at a time, but the species composition changes over the months. Species include common morpho, pear charaxes, great mormon, leopard lacewing, paper kite, great orange tip, postman, and common birdwing, among others.
Inside of the Atrium is a live wall of vining plants. The wall is constructed of small hanging planters that attach to the wall, making a solid wall of beautiful plants.
There are many tropical plants inside the 80 degree atrium including Crossandra, Calliandra, bat flower (Tacca chantrieri), Golden Shrimp Plant, Jatropha, Plumeria, Frangipani, and Pentas. These plants provide food and shelter for the butterflies.
The Chrysalis Cabinet showcases the life cycle of the butterfly as visitors can view hundreds of chrysalids.
ACCESSIBILITY: unkown
Bear Mountain Butterfly Sanctuary
18 Church Rd.
Jim Thorpe, PA 18229
(570) 325-4848
Visit the Bear Mountain Butterfly Sanctuary website
HOURS:
Monday, Thursday through Sunday: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Tuesday – Wednesday: 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Located in the picturesque Pennsylvania town of Jim Thorpe, the Bear Mountain Butterfly Sanctuary has more than just butterflies. You’ll see exotic frogs, get to make art in the kids’ space, enjoy a picnic outdoors, and enjoy finding fun items in the gift shop.
The indoor “Flutterarium” houses native moths and butterflies from Pennsylvania. Take a paint brush full of nectar to feed the butterflies. Use one of our magnifying glasses to get an up close view. The frog room houses dart frogs and firebelly toads.
https://www.facebook.com/bearmountainbutterflysanctuary/photos/a.10151461827289501/10157284538739501/?type=3
Group programs are available for groups of 16 or more in mid-April through late summer. This is perfect for schools, scouts, or birthday parties. The Sanctuary also has traveling programs.
https://www.facebook.com/bearmountainbutterflysanctuary/photos/a.10151461827289501/10153162113339501/?type=3
For those who want a butterfly release at their special event, the Sanctuary offers monarchs by the dozen or gift boxes.
One of the special things that the Sanctuary offers is free milkweed seed. If you send a SASE to the organization, they will send common milkweed seeds.
The Sanctuary hosts special events year round. Previous events included a birds of prey show, a herpetology show, a bat show, and more. Visit their Facebook page or website for upcoming events.
ACCESSIBILITY:
Creekside Gardens Butterfly House
4 Village Lane
Tunkhannock, PA 18657
(570) 836-3595
Creekside Gardens Website
HOURS
Open June through September
11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Creekside Gardens is a nursery and landscaping company located in the Endless Mountains of Northeastern Pennsylvania. Over the years, they have added in attractions like the butterfly house, a gift shop, workshops, Food Truck Fridays, and became the host site for the Tunkhannock Farmers Market.
Their open-air live flight Butterfly House features native Pennsylvania butterflies including monarch butterflies. The house is full of plants that the butterflies feed on and rest on. You’ll see butterflies in all stages of their life cycle and have the opportunity to learn how to create butterfly habitat in your garden.
They host a Butterfly Release Event for one week in September. The release of the monarch butterflies is a fun event for all ages.
The facilities at Creekside are available for private parties and weddings.
ACCESSIBILITY: unknown
https://www.facebook.com/creeksidegardens/videos/527831707958999/
Churchville Nature Center Butterfly House
501 Churchville Lane
Churchville, PA 18966
(215) 357-4005
Visit the Nature Center’s website
HOURS:
July through mid-September
11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday
The Churchville Nature Center is an environmental education center of the Bucks County Dept. of Parks and Recreation. Each year, thousands of school kids and visitors visit the center to learn about wildlife, native habitat, and so much more.
The facility includes a visitor’s center with interpretive exhibits, several miles of nature trails, a gift shop, and wildlife viewing areas.
The Butterfly House houses native Pennsylvania butterflies and moths in all stages of the life cycle. It is run by volunteers who help to raise the butterflies and maintain the gardens.
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The House is open-air so it is only open during the warm seasons. There is a fee to enter the Butterfly House. Your admission fee includes a 20 to 25 minute educational tour of the house.
The Butterfly House also hosts special events including a Monarch Tag & Release Party and Arthropalooza! with lots of insects.
ACCESSIBILITY: The path inside the Butterfly House is uneven brick and may not be wide enough for a wheelchair. From the Nature Center website: Our paths are handicapped-accessible, and wheelchairs are available.
Philadelphia Insectarium and Butterfly Pavilion
8046 Frankford Ave.
Philadelphia, PA 19136
(215) 515-9221
Visit the Philadelphia Insectarium Website
HOURS
Monday – Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Insects, insects, and more insects! This insectarium has it all – from tarantulas and scorpions to brightly colored butterflies and tropical plants. There are even some lizards and amphibians on display.
The Butterfly Pavilion is 7,000 square feet filled with tropical plants and butterflies. Enter the lush green oasis to view colorful butterflies flying through the air. Get a closer look at these brightly colored insects as they stop at the feeding stations.
The Pavilion houses 2,000 exotic and native butterflies.
The Insectarium includes two floors of exhibits filled with arthropods, reptiles, and amphibians. If you like cockroaches, tarantulas, stick insects, praying mantids, scorpions, and tarantulas, this is the place for you.
The Insectarium and Pavilion offers school tours, birthday parties, and group rates. They also offer a discount for seniors, students, teachers, police, fire, and military personnel.
Throughout the year, the Insectarium offers special events such as butterfly yoga and holiday events and even summer camps for kids. Check their website for upcoming events.
ACCESSIBILITY: According to their website, the Butterfly pavilion is wheelchair accessible but the Insectarium is not.
