Springs Preserve all aflutter with new Butterfly Habitat

About 500 new residents arrived in Las Vegas on Sept. 18, and they all moved into the same building — with no air conditioning and a leaky roof. However, they don’t mind. They’re butterflies.

The new Butterfly Habitat is part of the Springs Preserve, 333 S. Valley View Blvd., and is set to be open in the fall and spring, when the weather is ideal for their open-air habitat.

“I wish I could remember when we first thought of bringing butterflies here,” said Springs Preserve board of trustees president Jenna Morton. “A lot of us had seen butterfly habitats in other places, and we thought they would be a great fit here.”

The exhibit is on the south side of the property next to its botanical garden. Visitors can follow the large butterfly-shaped signs to see the new arrivals.

“The location encourages visitors to see a part of the preserve that they might not see otherwise,” Morton said. “For me, one of the most beautiful parts of this property is our botanical garden, with its desert-adoptive plants. It’s a place where people can get water-smart ideas for what to do with their own property.”

The initial 500 butterflies are painted ladies and mourning cloaks. Butterfly species are also set to include red admiral, American lady, monarch and queen. The habitat will offer different types of butterflies each season, in part because of the insects’ short lifespan.

“On average, they spend a few weeks as an adult,” said Thomas O’Toole, zoology supervisor at the Springs Preserve. “Our plan is to bring in different species, including native species and exotics from around the world and change them up from week to week or month to month. People will have a reason to come back to see what we have.”

The butterflies are farm-raised and packed individually for transport to the habitat. Springs Preserve staff members hope to not only titillate visitors with the sight of hundreds of butterflies in flight and perched on the habitat’s walls and foliage but to educate them on the many species, some of which are in decline. The iconic monarch butterfly, which is featured on much of the habitat’s signage, has dwindled in numbers by as much as 90 percent in recent years.

The habitat has metal screen walls and can be entered through a vestibule with an inner and outer door to keep the butterflies from escaping. Upon exiting the habitat, visitors are given a visual inspection by a docent to make sure there are no hitchhikers.

“As pretty as butterflies are, the USDA considers them agricultural pests,” O’Toole said. “We have an army of docents working here.”

A separate entrance fee will be charged for the habitat, with Springs Preserve members paying $2 and nonmembers paying $3. The habitat is slated to be open during Springs Preserve operating hours, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. For more information, visit springspreserve.org or call 702-822-7700.

Contact East Valley View reporter F. Andrew Taylor at ataylor@viewnews.com or 702-380-4532.