Enjoy the rainforest without ever leaving Missouri during the Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House’s annual March Morpho Mania® event. Nearly 3,000 Blue Morpho butterflies will be in free-flight inside the 8,000-square-foot tropical Conservatory for this annual event. March Morpho Mania® offers visitors an opportunity to see the largest collection of Blue Morpho butterflies in the United States, and is included with regular admission.
The Blue Morpho is one of the largest butterflies at the Butterfly House and has a six-inch wingspan. Blue Morphos also have tiny scales on their wings which refract light and produce flashes of blue that bewilder predators in nature. Common Blue Morpho butterflies (Morpho peleides) are native to Central and South America. The collection at the Butterfly House mainly hails from El Bosque Nuevo, a sustainable butterfly farming operation in Costa Rica.
Visitors are welcome to bring a hand-held camera to capture the experience of seeing these butterflies in action. No tripods, monopods or external flash equipment allowed. Due to increased crowds during this event, no strollers are allowed. A variety of butterfly-inspired gifts, educational toys, books and souvenirs for all ages, including several Blue Morpho items will be available for sale in the gift shop.
Regular Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Closed Mondays. The Butterfly House is located in Faust Park at 15193 Olive Blvd. in Chesterfield, Mo., accessible from Interstate 64 at exit #19B. The last ticket is sold 30 min. prior to closing each day. Visitors are encouraged to arrive no later than one hour prior to closing to fully enjoy the experience.
Admission is $6 for adults, $5 for seniors (ages 65 and older) and $4 for children (ages 3 to 12). Children ages 2 and younger and Missouri Botanical Garden members are free. For more information, visit www.butterflyhouse.org or call (636) 530-0076. Follow the Butterfly House on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thebutterflyhouse and Twitter www.twitter.com/butterflyhse.
The Butterfly House is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) and a division of the Missouri Botanical Garden.