Indeed, recent years have seen a veritable hatching of insect exhibits across North America. With names like the San Francisco Zoo's Insect Zoo and the Niagara Parks Butterfly Conservatory, these living bug collections celebrate the insect world through hands-on exhibits that make kids squirm with delight and exotic walk-through gardens that can please a parent. At the Butterfly Pavilion and Insect Center in Colorado, a warm and tropical oasis teeming with thousands of insect species awaits you and your children.
WESTMINSTER, COLORADO
BUTTERFLY PAVILION AND INSECT CENTERVisitors escape the Rocky Mountain cold when they enter this 80-degree tropical rain forest filled with 1,200 butterflies, including blue morphos and zebra long-wing butterflies. Nearly every day, volunteers release newborn "scale wings" (another name for butterflies, because they get their wing colors and designs from tiny scales) into the indoor pavilion. Miniature insect habitats permit a full view of species such as giant Sonoran centipedes, hissing cockroaches and Texas brown tarantulas. Kids can watch bees build their combs, touch a Chilean tarantula's soft hair, or look at ant farm life through a lighted microscope. During the spring, summer and early fall, kids can also roam outside along nature trails and through a native butterfly garden. Admission is $7.95 for adults, $4.95 for kids ages 3 to 12, and free for kids ages 2 and under. Call 303-469-5441.
Be sure to check out these great learning tools about bugs.
Writer Troy Corley lives in Reseda, California.
Please keep in mind that phone numbers, addresses, and prices are subject to change. Updated August 2005.
