Although our "Butterfly Season" is essentially over, it has just begun at the Tucson Botanical Gardens. TBC has a Butterfly Magic Festival each year from October 10th to April 30th. Each month a new group of Butterflies from some part of the world: Africa, Asia, the Tropics, the Americas, Australia, etc. are brought to the Gardens.
Plants native and important to those Butterflies also are brought in. All of the butterflies in the Gardens’ exhibit are hatched from eggs and live as caterpillars in butterfly farms in tropical parts of the world. When the caterpillars change into the pupae or resting stage, they are carefully counted, labeled and packed. In the pupae stage of the butterfly life cycle, no food is required so they can survive the two or three day trip to Tucson. Once they arrive at the Gardens they are housed in a climate controlled environment which allows them to emerge naturally from their pupae. (This emerging room is visible through a glass window). They are then transferred to the Greenhouse where they are released to fly free in a beautiful tropical environment.
It is here where you can walk amongst them. Great care is taken as you enter and as you leave to ensure that none of these "non-native" butterflies escapes into our Southern Arizona world.
This is a photographer's paradise -- especially, if you are just learning or beginning to shoot wildlife photos. These Butterflies certainly aren't hard to find, there are hundreds of them. They will land on your head, shoulders, or a pant leg. Their colors are often brilliant; they sit still for photos; and they are often on or near beautiful flowers. What more can you ask for?
Here are a few that I have taken over the past few years:
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| Asian Swallowtail |
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| Blue Clipper |
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| Blue Morpho |
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| Atlas Moth |
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| Arcas Cattleheart Mating |
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| Banded Orange |
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