Live 'Butterfly Experience' returns to Botanical Gardens with new butterfly release encounter

Hundreds of live butterflies will take flight this spring into summer at Botanical Gardens

Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens press release & photo

The Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens announced its “Butterfly Experience” will return from May 16 to July 19. Hundreds of live butterflies will take flight in the Tropical Orchard greenhouse. The live butterfly exhibit will be open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and a new “Butterfly Release” encounter will be available at a separate ticket price on select Saturdays.

Tickets for the “Butterfly Experience” and the “Butterfly Release” are on sale now at buffalogardens.com. The “Butterfly Experience” is presented by M&T Bank.

This spring and summer, the “Butterfly Experience” returns to welcome visitors near and far to immerse themselves into the winged world of butterflies inside the Botanical Gardens' historic conservatory. Visitors will be able to get up close and personal with a flock of live butterflies, flying high, low, here and there. The experience allows the public to be surrounded by hundreds of butterflies that are native to the continental U.S. to capture the beauty and magic of the butterflies while also learning about the important role that pollinators play in their ecosystems.

Hundreds of bold and brightly colored butterflies will fly through the exhibit with various species like swallowtails, monarchs, painted ladies, red admirals, and many more. The 1,200-square-foot Tropical Orchard greenhouse will be home to the butterflies, as well as dozens of fruit-producing and nectar-rich plants and flowers for them to feed on. The space will also feature a pupa display, known as an emergence case, that gives visitors an inside look at the beginning of their journey at the Botanical Gardens. Here, visitors will have to chance to see the butterflies emerge from their chrysalides as they make their way into their home.

For those looking for an even more up-close encounter with the butterflies, a limited number of tickets will be available for the new “Butterfly Release” encounters. This exclusive event offers early-access to the Botanical Gardens before it opens to the public. Participants will learn about the butterflies, including their life cycle, their behavior, and their role in the ecosystem, and will end with the opportunity to help release a new butterfly into the exhibit. The “Butterfly Releases” will take from 9-10 a.m. May 23, 30, June 6, 13, 20, 27, July 11 and 18.

"We currently offer a program where our guests can feed our fish, and we thought it would be wonderful to give our guests the opportunity to get up close and personal with our butterflies, too, which is why we're starting the ‘Butterfly Release’ encounters this year,” said Amanda Johnston, director of learning and interpretation. “There is so much to learn about these incredibly beautiful and fascinating creatures, and our hope is to create a generation of learners who are excited about pollinators like our butterflies and bees.”

President and CEO Erin Grajek said, "We had such a positive experience last year with our butterflies, and we are so excited to welcome them back even sooner this year in the spring. We've learned so much about our butterflies and how they interact in their new home, and the community will be really pleased with what our experience has to offer again this year.”

M&T Charitable Foundation Regional Manager Don Elick said, “M&T Bank is proud to again partner with the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens to bring this extraordinary ‘Butterfly Experience’ to life. Seeing our Western New York neighbors come together in such a unique and engaging way is something we value deeply – and we look forward to another season filled with moments that inspire connection and create lasting memories.”

Prepurchased tickets are highly recommended. The “Butterfly Experience” is free for Botanical Gardens members, but all attendees must have a ticket. While touching and holding the butterflies is not permitted, there is a chance they briefly land onto visitors, making for an exciting photo opportunity. The Botanical Gardens has provided a full list of what visitors can expect, guidelines, policies and more at buffalogardens.com.