The fall butterfly exhibit, Majestic Mariposas, opens Sept. 23 and is on display through Nov. 12 from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.
Learn about some of the Southwestern butterflies you can meet in the exhibit this fall:
Monarch butterflies are well known for their astonishing 3,000-mile migration from the Northeast United States to Central Mexico. Monarchs begin to arrive in their overwintering sites in Mexico in early November during the country’s Día de Muertos festival and celebration. Monarchs are a spiritual symbol during the festival, representing the souls of ancestors returning to visit their loved ones.
Giant Swallowtails are the largest butterflies in North America, with some reaching up to 18.8 centimeters (about 7.5 inches). The species can be found in southeast Canada, throughout the U.S. and into Mexico, as well as other areas of South America.
Gulf Fritillary butterflies are named after their migration across the Gulf of Mexico as well as their similar checkered pattern to the fritillary flower.
Queen butterflies are often mistaken for monarch butterflies due to how similar their colors and patterns are. This is because monarch and queen butterflies are closely related and share the same genus of the monarch.
Zebra Longwings are known to form communal roosts at night. This roosting behavior is a defense mechanism that provides protection to the butterflies from predators.
Painted Lady butterflies are an extremely common butterfly. They can be found on every continent, except for Australia and Antarctica, making their species one of the most widely distributed butterfly in the world.
