Fall 2021 in the Butterfly Rainforest

The lush jungle of our Butterfly Rainforest exhibit is constantly changing. Our exhibit keepers work hard to maintain a wide variety of plants for the exhibit residents and our visitors to enjoy. You never know what you’ll discover!

Make sure you look around carefully or ask our exhibit keepers to point out some of the hidden gems. Besides butterflies, look for fish, turtles, and birds — including our adorable quail!

Pro-tip: If you need a peaceful break in our Rainforest, we suggest visiting on weekday mornings. Take a serenity break and recharge!

Many thanks to Ingrith for sharing her daily photos with us.

Black butterfly with long narrow wings. The upper wing has two vertical red bands, the lower wings have one horizontal white band.

Double-banded longwing butterfly. Florida Museum photo by Ingrith Martinez

Harmonia Tigerwing Butterfly with wings open. The lower wing is orange, the upper wing has many black, orange and pale-yellow markings with the pale-yellow markings near the wing tip. The body is orange and black.

Harmonia tigerwing, Tithorea harmonia. Florida Museum photo by Ingrith Martinez

Emerald Swallowtail Butterfly. With its wings open the butterfly is black with many tiny green spots giving it a solid green appearance. There is a solid bright green stripe that forms a ‘V’ across the wings. The long tail 'points' are black

Emerald swallowtail, Papilio palinurus. Florida Museum photo by Ingrith Martinez

Blue Morpho butterfly with open wings. Wings are iridescent blue with black edges.

Blue morpho butterfly sitting on philodendron leaves. Florida Museum photo by Ingrith Martinez

Lantern mallow. Florida Museum photo by Ingrith Martinez

Chinese painted quail. Florida Museum photo by Ingrith Martinez

two narrow-banded Owlet Butterflies sitting on branch with their wings closed. The wings are shades of brown with a large eye spots.

Owlet butterflies. Florida Museum photo by Ingrith Martinez

Pink orchid blossom. Florida Museum photo by Ingrith Martinez

Emperor Swallowtail butterfly with wings open. Butterfly has ‘swallowtail wings’ that end in a long point. The wings are black with pale-yellow spots and stripes and blue and orange marks where the lower wings meet at the body.

Emperor swallowtail butterfly. Florida Museum photo by Ingrith Martinez

black and white butterfly sitting on a orange and yellow flower

Zebra longwing butterfly on a flowering maple blossom. Florida Museum photo by Ingrith Martinez

two turtles sitting at the edge of the butterfly exhibit's stream

Two of the many turtles in the butterfly exhibit. Florida Museum photo by Ingrith Martinez

vibrant blue and white butterfly sitting next to a black and orange butterfly on a green leaf

Two butterflies, a tropical blue wave and a longwing, rest on a bromeliad leaf. Florida Museum photo by Ingrith Martinez

Tree nymph butterfly on a deep pink flower

Tree nymph butterfly, Idea leuconoe sitting on an antherium flower. Florida Museum photo by Ingrith Martinez

A black and orange and a black and white butterfly sitting on small red flowers

Two heliconid butterlfies sharing a flower. Florida Museum photo by Ingrith Martinez

Two Malachite butterflies with closed wings. The wings are light brown with many light green, darker brown and cream colored markings.

Malachite butterflies, Siproeta stelenes. Florida Museum photo by Ingrith Martinez

black and yellow butterfly with long narrow wings sitting on a maroon leaf

Zebra longwing butterfly rests on an Hawaiian ti plant. Florida Museum photo by Ingrith Martinez

black and white butterfly sitting on a cluster of white flowers.

Tree nymph butterfly on fragrant begonia flowers. Florida Museum photo by Ingrith Martinez

dark brown and green butterfly sitting on a vibrant pink flower

Tailed jay butterfly on impatiens flowers. Florida Museum photo by Ingrith Martinez