I love butterflies and always jump at the chance to see these delicate high-flying insects up close. If you live in Ontario the Niagara Butterfly Conservatory is one of the best places that you can visit to see a large variety of butterflies. Located on the grounds of the Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens, the conservatory is situated between Niagara-on-the-lake and the famous Falls.
During a visit to Niagara Falls on Friday, we stopped by the conservatory. Always fascinated by ‘bugs’, my boys love learning about new animals so I knew this would be perfect for them.
When you arrive at the Botanical Gardens you will be able to park right on site($5). As you walk along the path from the parking lot you can’t miss the conservatory. The glass roof is prominent as is the wrought iron butterfly just by the front doors.
Before heading into the greenhouse, we watched a quick video that showed the metamorphosis butterflies go through before they emerge from the chrysalis.
As soon as we opened the door a flurry of butterflies welcomed us. Enthusiasts in front of us were already snapping away. Like celebrities on the red carpet, the butterflies only stop for a second so you have to be quick!
I have been to other conservatories and often found an abundance of butterflies at the door but less throughout. This was not the case here. At every turn there were more and more floating through the air. It was mesmerizing. I tried to get a picture of all of the butterflies hovering above but it was hard because they are fast – they have places to be!
I stepped up my game and managed to snap quite a few sitting on rocks and in the foliage.
The hot spot on the upper level of the conservatory appeared to be a huge patch of false vervain. There were easily 30 butterflies floating above these purple flowers. Again, it was tough to capture. All of the orange specs on the image below are butterflies.
Not just pretty, the butterflies are also very sociable. If you stand still for just a moment they will land on you. The dad behind us actually had one land on his face and the husband of another couple in front of us was lucky enough to have two rest on his arm.
My boys are still talking about all of the colorful butterflies they saw during our visit. It is one thing to see something in a book but another to actually see them in action. Watching them float from one flower to another and then on to the person beside you is pretty sensational.
If you are in Niagara Falls this summer I highly recommend a visit to the Niagara Butterfly Conservatory. Not only is it full of beauty, but the lush vegetation that lines the paths sets the scene for a park like walk full of adventure.
With ramps throughout, it is fully accessible for visitors who are in wheel chairs and also parents pushing strollers.
- Admission is $13.50 Adults (13+ years), $8.80 Children (6 to 12 years). Children 5 and under are FREE!
Thank you to Niagara Parks for providing us with an Adventure Pass to facilitate our review of the Butterfly Conservatory.
