The butterfly said to the sun,”They can’t stop talking about my transformation. I can only do it once in my lifetime.
-Dodinsky
If only they know they can do it at any time and in countless ways.”
Sometimes a trap is worth being caught in.
When the city you work for is the Butterfly Capital of the World, you have to wonder…Are there that many butterflies in Coconut Creek.
I have been attacked by Atala coming out of work, and once in a while, you see a monarch or whatever mimicking it floats by. But do we really have the most extensive collection of these colorful insects?
The answer might not lie in our parks and gardens but in our own tourist trap, Butterfly World, home of a million butterflies.
Yes, a million butterflies! Making this the most extensive collection of living and dead butterflies in the world.
At $27.00 per person, one might wonder if this trap is worth getting caught in.
I will admit to getting caught in this trap more than once.
Why you might ask.
It is peaceful there. First, the butterflies are housed in a colossal aviary about two stories high and about a couple of acres wide. This makes it one of the biggest butterfly houses in the world. And not only are there butterflies, but hummingbirds, flowers, trees, and a waterfall. You can walk to the waterfall’s top and overlook the scenic wonder. Stepping into the aviary, you feel like you have entered an enchanted garden.
Tranquil music plays while you stroll around looking at the butterflies.
The butterflies are free to move around, and some zoom at you, barely dodging you (the little things can zoom). Make sure you have a fast shutter speed because they do not stop for pictures. So as you walk through this peaceful garden, you are surrounded by colorful butterflies, listening to very tranquil music and flowing water; you cannot help but feel at peace with yourself.
If you are lucky, one of the butterflies will land on you.
Hint: Butterflies like to hang out at the feeding stations, so if you are looking for a good picture, look for a dish with bananas. I guarantee that you will find more than one enjoying a snack.
You can also check out the cocoons (The ones collected) along the path. Last time we were there, a couple of the butterflies started to emerge from their cocoons.
Hint: Butterflies prefer warm, bright days, so make sure you visit them on a warm, sunny day to get the maximum effect of butterflies.
Butterfly World also has other attractions than the butterfly aviary. One of my favorite areas is what I like to call the alien garden. Different types of exotic vine flowers grow freely, and when the flowers are in full bloom, they look like they are from some alien planet.
Another favorite is the Lorikeets encounter, where you can meet and feed these very colorful (and loud) feather friends. The last time I was there, I got a new boyfriend, Caesar. The lady overseeing the encounter said that Caesar was somewhat of a ladies’ man, and sure enough, as soon as another young lady entered the encounter, I was forgotten. Oh well, so much for true romance.
For $1.00, you can feed these very friendly, intelligent, and loud birds.
The last stop is only for brave people (or get dragged by their significant others). The bug house is inside a building next to the Lorikeet encounter (yikes!)
Spiders I have no problem with, scorpions are neat, and who doesn’t love grasshoppers, centipedes, and millipedes. There is one thing I cannot stand.
Cockroach…. both the flying and non-flying ones.
That is the number one reason why Florida is not paradise. Florida has both types of cockroaches, and they are huge.
This place has hundreds of them (in a glass cage, or there will be no way in hell you would have ever gotten me in there). I can’t even type this out without getting the heebie-jeebies.
If you are interested or like bugs, check it out. If not, stay very far away…you have been warned.
The last stop is, of course, the gift shop. And along with the usual shirts, postcards, and knickknacks, you can also purchase live ladybugs (we did).
Those ladybugs were in my refrigerator for a week until we could release them. Turns out the maximum time to release them into the wild is at night after a rainstorm. And for some reason, our usual monsoon had taken a vacation that week.
They also have the seeds of the alien vine flowers and caterpillars (that you can watch turn into a butterfly before releasing them).
So there you have it, Coconut Creek’s very own tourist trap. So is this worth getting trapped in.
Well, it’s no 100 ft balls of yarn… it’s better!
So next time you drive down the Florida Turnpike, you will see a sign boasting over a million butterflies. Make sure you stop. You will be glad you did.
Hint: If you are from the area or planning to come down more than once, the season pass is worth it. At $54.00, you break even on two trips. Also, check out Groupon or local stores; they sometimes have a deal for two for the price of one.
Trekking Along 