Inside South Florida is exploring local attractions you must visit this summer. We headed to Butterfly World, the world's largest butterfly and bird park. This incredible destination offers visitors the chance to explore six aviaries filled with 20,000 live butterflies and free-flying birds, creating a truly magical experience.
Butterfly World is a unique facility that prides itself on breeding all its butterflies and growing all its plants right on the property. "We raise all the butterflies ourselves, and we raise a couple 1000 butterflies per week," shared assistant lab manager Mark Hurst. "The lifespan of a butterfly is only about two weeks, so you can imagine, if we have 20,000 butterflies out here at any given time, how much we're constantly producing to keep that [number up]." Among the many species you can encounter, the crown jewel is the piano key butterfly, a hybrid that only exists at Butterfly World.
Walking through the tropical rainforest aviary is a breathtaking experience. You can see thousands of exotic butterflies, including the zebra longwing, Florida's state butterfly since 1996, known for its long, narrow black wings with distinctive thin yellow bands. Informative visual signs help you identify the different species as you explore the park.
One of the highlights of Butterfly World is the lorikeet encounter, where you can feed the rainbow-colored lorikeets directly from your hands with a cup of nectar. "We have about 21 lorikeets here right now, all very friendly and with their own personalities," explained bird care specialist Angelina Zitelli. "They'll most likely land on your shoulders, arms, and your head even."
For those interested in insects, the park features a spectacular collection in their museum, including a live bug zoo where you can see tarantulas and many other fascinating creatures in their natural habitats.
As you continue your journey, you'll stroll through the vine-covered maze, which houses one of the largest collections of passion flowers in the world, a favorite food source for butterflies. These stunning flowers might even inspire you to start your own butterfly garden at home. Fortunately, Butterfly World stocks all the hard-to-find species you’ll need to create your own paradise.
Don't forget to ask about the Adventure Pass when purchasing tickets. This pass offers unlimited admission all summer long, providing plenty of opportunities to revisit and enjoy the park. Make sure to add Butterfly World to your list of summer activities this year! For more information, visit butterflyworld.com.
