Butterflies have landed at the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium! “I Spy a Butterfly,” an all-new, seasonal, walk-through experience, is set to open to guests for a limited four-week preview on Saturday, August 10. While the butterfly habitat will open for the full season in early spring 2025, Zoo guests are able to experience an exclusive sneak peek daily, August 10 through September 2, 2024. The experience will be available for all guests for $4, or bundled at additional discount with other Zoo attractions.
A specially constructed greenhouse for free-flying butterflies surrounds guests with the majestic beauty of winged wonders and temporarily welcomes another branch of the animal kingdom – insects – to the Zoo’s lineup of fantastic fauna. The habitat is home to a rainbow of different butterfly species including monarch, painted lady, American lady, gulf fritillary, eastern black swallowtail, cabbage white, and red admiral.
The interactive area not only allows guests to share space with these delicate beauties, it also educates about the importance of the role the butterfly plays in the ecosystem. Topics included in “I Spy a Butterfly” include the insects’ amazing physical adaptations, four-stage life cycles, and unique relationships with their host plants.
Carefully selected butterfly-preferred plants and feeding stations are placed throughout the habitat that will allow guests to get very close to these remarkable species. It might not be an unusual occurrence for the creatures to land on guests as well!
“’’I Spy a Butterfly’ gives everyone a close-up view of butterflies, pollinators that are not only beautiful, but important in our own backyards and around the world,” said Allan Marshall, the Zoo’s Vice President of Internal Relations. “It’s the first of many new additions we are working on as part of our master plan to connect people to wildlife and inspire our communities to conserve nature for future generations.”
Found on every continent except Antarctica, butterflies are an essential part of most ecosystems. They are among the first organisms to react when something is wrong with their environment. Human expansion has destroyed many natural habitats all over the world. Climate change, pesticides, and disease also threaten butterflies and other pollinators.
“I Spy a Butterfly” is located in the upper part of the Zoo, between Jungle Odyssey and the Aquarium. The experience is included in the Zoo’s new seasonal One Wild Day Pass, a ticket bundle which offers nearly 30% savings on both general daytime admission and access to new and beloved attractions throughout the Zoo: I Spy a Butterfly, the One Wild Express train, the VR Theater, the carousel, and a phone-based scavenger hunt. Zoo Members and guests who already have admission tickets can purchase the Adventure Value Pack on grounds, which includes all attractions for $14; nearly 40% savings from all attractions individually. All guests who would just like to see the new butterfly habitat during their visit may add on the experience for $4 per person once on grounds. All experiences are available through Labor Day, offering guests an exciting way to wrap up the summer.
