Fall 2023 in the Butterfly Rainforest

From butterflies to birds, flowers to fruit, the constantly changing jungle of our Butterfly Rainforest put on a show this season. The warm autumn days are a great time to see both the butterflies and some of our other residents, like the little quail and finches.

a red and a brown birds sitting on a moss covered rock

A pair of fire finches. Florida Museum photo by Ingrith Martinez

blue-grey bird sitting at the base of a tree

Look closely at the base of the trees, you may see one of our quail. Florida Museum photo by Ingrith Martinez

small brown birds in the shallow stream surrounded with green plants and red flowers

Waxbills enjoying the stream in the Butterfly Rainforest. Florida Museum photo by Ingrith Martinez

cream colored finch sitting on the delicate branches of a flowering bush

Zebra finches sitting amidst the rainbell flowers. Florida Museum photo by Ingrith Martinez

waterfall surrounded with lush green plants

Pagodas along the edge of the waterfall. Florida Museum photo by Ingrith Martinez

The Grecian shoemaker butterfly, with its large orange spots, was easy to find enjoying the sun, while the eye-catching tree nymphs and zebra swallowtails enjoyed the flowers. Other favorites this fall were the red crackers and the blue spotted charaxes.

The Grecian Shoemaker, Catonephele numilia, has a wingspan of 2.3-3 inches. Florida Museum photo by Ingrith Martinez

The Grecian Shoemaker, Catonephele numilia, has a wingspan of 2.3 to 3 inches. Florida Museum photo by Ingrith Martinez

large yellow-white and black butterfly on yellow flowers

Tree Nymph, Idea leuconoe, has a wingspan of 4.5 to 6 inches making it one of our largest butterflies. Florida Museum photo by Ingrith Martinez

white and black butterfly with its wings open

Zebra swallowtail, Protographium marcellus, has a wingspan of 2.5 to 4 inches. Florida Museum photo by Ingrith Martinez

white and black butterfly on a spike of pale purple flowers

Zebra swallowtail on the coleus flowers. Florida Museum photo by Ingrith Martinez

butterfly with long semi-transparent wings

Giant Glasswing butterfly, Methona confuse. Florida Museum photo by Ingrith Martinez

blue white and black butterfly sitting on a moss covered rock

Blue-spotted Charaxes, Charaxes cithaeron, has a wingspan of 3 to 3.8 inches. Florida Museum photo by Ingrith Martinez

red, black, and white butterfly sitting with its wings closed

Red Cracker, Hamadryas amphinome, has a wingspan of 2.5 to 3.2 inches. Florida Museum photo by Ingrith Martinez

close up of the pattern on a blue, tan, and black butterfly

Close up of a clipper butterfly. Florida Museum photo by Ingrith Martinez

black butterfly with red marking on its body

Pink Rose, Pachliopta kotzebuea, has a wingspan of 3.5 to 4 inches. Florida Museum photo by Ingrith Martinez

The flowers were also attracting attention with vivid red fire spikes, yellow Jamaican poinsettias, blue ginger flowers, and orange and green Mayan Palm fruit. Our exhibit keepers work hard to maintain a wide variety of plants for the exhibit residents and our visitors to enjoy.