How's it in the Habitat? 9/30 Saturday

Due to the cold and rainy weather, the butterfly habitat will be closed for viewing tomorrow. The gift shop will remain open.

How's it in the Habitat? Monday 9/24

Finally! Tomorrow should be a good day to see the butterflies! Stop by and check it out before the season is over. 11am to 4pm!

How's it in the Habitat? Sun. Sept. 23rd

If you are considering coming to visit the butterfly habitat on Sunday, we highly suggest that you give us a call first: (774) 413-9310. The habitat portion (but not the gift shop) might be closed because of recent weather.

How's it in the Habitat? Wed. Sept. 20th

The weather isn't going to be great for butterflies, so as we previously mentioned, we'll be shutting down the butterfly house to protect the butterflies. 

However, the gift shop will still be open. Come get a t-shirt!!

How's it in the Habitat for 9/19!

The weather from Hurricane Jose is going to make it downright miserable for our butterflies!

As such, we are going to be closed for the next couple days, so we can batten down the hatches. and protect our butterflies and plants!

Ann will be there keeping an eye on things, which means the gift shop will still be open!

Check back for habitat updates in the following days.

How's it in the Habitat? Sunday 9/17

Thankfully, the fog has dissipated and we have another wonderful day for butterfly viewing. Stop by before 4pm to make sure you get your chance to see the butterflies before the season is over!

We have Monarch t-shirts now in both ladies and children's sizes!

How's it in the habitat? Tues. Sept 12th

Another lovely weather day in the habitat! Still plenty to see.

How's it in the habitat? Sept. 11th

It'll be another great day for the butterflies!

Don't forget to pick up your milkweed seeds!

How's it in the habitat? Sept 10th Sun.

Today is a perfect day to visit the habitat! Lots of very happy butterflies will be fluttering about as the weather is expected to be perfect.

Best viewing between 11am and 4pm!

How's it in the Habitat? Fri. Sept. 8th

Tomorrow's weather is looking perfect for butterflies!

We still have plenty of butterflies flying, and a nice variety too!

Stop by to see: monarchs, painted ladies, buckeyes, question marks, commas, swallowtails pipevine and eastern blacks!

How's it in the Habitat? Thurs. Sept. 7th

The butterflies are really hoping the forecast holds true and we get some sun tomorrow afternoon!

If the sun is shining, the butterflies will be anxious to eat! And that would make a great time to stop by for some close-up photos.

How's it in the Habitat? Wed. Sept. 6th

We're going to try a new feature for the website. Updating you often on the conditions of the habitat!

Due to tomorrow's expected rain, we are anticipating low activity in the butterfly house. The gift shop will still be open, but we'd recommend a different day for butterfly viewing!

Limited butterflies thanks to the weather!

Hello everyone!

We just wanted to give you a heads up that we will have a limited butterfly population for these first few weeks. Sadly, the weather really played havoc with our stock, and wild butterflies this year. The populations will need time and warm sunshine to fully recover.

We are still open and have some for you to see, but the selection is not as varied or numerous as it usually is by now. 

We really appreciate your patience and your continued support!

Thank you!

Opening Info!

We are open now!

However, we just wanted to give you a heads up that we have limited butterflies. This cold and wet spring has not been good for mating and raising butterflies. Our varieties and numbers are low right now, but will continue to grow as the season progresses.

We appreciate your patience, and we hope you stop by regardless!

Thank you!

2017 Season Opening Information

We're delaying this year's opening thanks to the weather and its impact on our butterfly populations.

Anticipated Opening Date: June 2nd

Admission is $6 for adults, $5 for seniors, and $4 for children.

Seasonal passes are available as well: $15 for adults, $12.50 for seniors, and $10 for children.

We hope to see you soon!

Opening Information!

Starting Friday, May 27th, we'll be open daily from 10am to 5pm.

Admission is $6 for adults, $5 for seniors, and $4 for children.

Seasonal passes are available as well: $15 for adults, $12.50 for seniors, and $10 for children.

We hope to see you soon!

Opening Dates

Our habitat will open for the 2016 season on Memorial Day weekend! Join us on May 27th to visit our butterfly habitat, gift shop and learning center.

We look forward to seeing you!

Preparing for a New Season

Another new year is upon us here at Butterflies of Cape Cod and with this new year comes all of the preparations to have another successful season of our native butterfly house.  Each year we must plan for the types of butterflies and moths we will have for our visitors to see, learn about and enjoy.  This requires growing nectar and host plants that are free from pesticides and commercial fertilizers, which will enable our butterflies and moths and their caterpillar offspring (larvae) to have healthy and complete life cycles.  Milkweed, nettles, plantain, herbs and flowers are just some of the different types of annual plants that must be grown each year to support our beautiful butterflies and moths. Perennial plants grown from previous seasons that will be used this year will require cleaning, repotting and feeding to prepare them for the new season.

Eclosion Cabinet

The butterflies and moths that our visitors get to see in our butterfly house each year come from many sources.  Monarchs, Painted Ladies, Red Admirals and other types of migrating or transient butterflies are usually initially purchased from butterfly growers in the south, so we can have them available earlier in the season than we would normally see them up here in the north.  Swallowtail butterflies like Eastern Blacks, Spicebush and Pipevines, are over wintered in our eclosion (emerging) cabinet inside our butterfly house to protect them from predators, like mice and spiders, during the diapause (to pause cycle) stage of their life cycle, but still enabling them to be exposed to outdoor conditions.  These butterflies were caterpillars at the end of last season and formed a chrysalis (pupa) to overwinter in.  Our moth species also overwintered in our butterfly house eclosion cabinet in their cocoons (pupa) stage. The cocoon of a moth is a silken pouch woven by the caterpillar to protect its chrysalis which resides inside.  Other species of butterflies and moths are gathered from the wild in their caterpillar stage or as eggs (ova), so we can raise them in our rearing facility during the season on their host plants.

New Milkweed

Each year a lot of work, effort and planning goes into our butterfly house so when people come to visit us they will have an enjoyable experience and we hope they will leave our facility with new found knowledge and appreciation for the magnificent insects we call butterflies and moths.