The Missoula Butterfly House & Insectarium opened Dec.r 5. The house features many different species of insects and butterflies, including an aquarium section. The house has many interactive activities and you can even hold some of the insects. The butterfly house itself is home to 32 different species of butterflies and moths.
Marcy Allen, president of the Missoula Butterfly House & Insectarium said that the butterfly house “consists of a tropical greenhouse filled with butterflies from around the world and an exhibit area featuring a wide array of insects, arachnids, millipedes, centipedes, and crustaceans.”
She said that their mission is “to inspire an appreciation and understanding of insects and their relatives.” The hope is that potentially, this could bring a new level of interest to insect science in Missoula.
As for the specifics of the House, it includes “an expansive green house teeming with vibrant tropical butterflies, lush foliage, and a perpetual warmth,” said Allen. This area features an extensive list of butterfly species, mostly from foreign parts of the world like Ecuador and Thailand, including Blue Morphos, Scarlet Mormons, and Zebra Longwings, and several more.
The house does not stop there, though, and involves an area to see butterflies emerging from their chrysalises in the chrysalid exhibit. Allen described, “The variety of shapes and colors of these are really spectacular.”
Furthermore, there is an exhibit area, which includes the millipedes, centipedes, and crustaceans. “Visitors can interact with our bug ambassadors and delve deeper into their world at our encounter area,” said Allen. “I learn something about their knowledgeable staff everytime I go there. Their passion for bugs is contagious.We also have the spacious Bryon Weber classroom, that hosts students and adults alike for educational opportunities,”
They aim that at the end of this experience, visitors are “wowed by the beauty of the insects, but also curious to learn more,” Allen said. “We want people to become more observant of the natural world and notice little creatures that play a big role in the vibrancy and health of the planet.”
The butterfly house is a new opportunity for Missoulians to see insects from all over the world.