Butterfly House at the Texas Discovery Gardens

The Butterfly House at the Texas Discovery Gardens is a colorful place to visit in the winter. I was there earlier this month when I travelled to Dallas. There are lush tropical plants and butterflies! It was not crowded even though it was a weekend.

The Butterfly House is a multistory conservatory with a ramp that wonders through the tops of taller foliage down to a courtyard with water features. The butterflies were on all levels but densest near the water.

The enclosed space was bigger than the Tucson Botanical Garden butterfly exhibit but there were not as many butterflies when we were there and not as many people either.

The standout memory of the day was color - since so much of Texas (and Maryland) is mostly drab in winter. The flowers and fronds were a welcome change from winter overall.

We stayed for the daily release of newly hatched butterflies at noon. They were brought out in a net barrel. The tiger swallowtail did not want to leave the safety of the container. Maybe its wings were not entirely dry.

Some of the new arrivals left the container quickly but chose to walk rather than fly!

Children gathered around to see the release and noticed a more battered butterfly nearby on the ground. They tried to entice it to safety (out of the walkway).

Butterflies and conservatories….always a pleasant interlude.