Life, as of Late

Hey fellow Utahns! If you’re looking for a fun and unique activity to enjoy with your kids, you’ve gotta check out this Butterfly Biosphere in Lehi. It is a part of the butterfly conservatory and insectarium at Thanksgiving Point, the only one of its kind in the entire state, and was such an enjoyable experience for not only our 2 and 3 year olds, but for us parents as well.

If you’re familiar with Thanksgiving Point, you know that they offer a variety of venues for you to explore from the Museum of Natural Curiosity to Farm Country to The Ashton Gardens. Having already visited the Gardens for their Dinosaur Island display, we decided to check out the Butterfly Biosphere. It did not disappoint.

Conveniently located just 15 minutes from us at Thanksgiving Point, we were able to plan our visit after work. We bought tickets for 5:45pm entry (the venue is open Monday – Saturday from 9am to 8pm) which gave us plenty of time to explore the biosphere as well as the insectarium. Since we were visiting in the evening on a Tuesday night, the venue wasn’t at all crowded. Parking was plentiful in their attached parking lot and entrance was a breeze since we purchased tickets online ahead of time (I definitely recommend purchasing tickets online prior to your visit as you save $3 by doing so).

Upon entry, I was pleasantly surprised to find that there was so much to do and explore, before even reaching the Butterfy Biosphere. We explored the insectarium which displayed some of the most unique and interesting bugs and insects I had ever seen. If critters make you queasy, I’d recommend passing on that section as it definitely made my skin crawl a bit. We were able to participate in a game of identifying moths vs butterflies through a series of photos with some of the other visitors that day which was super informative and a lot of fun for the kids.

After exploring some of the encased insects and letting the kiddos burn some energy in the designated play areas, we headed over to the Biosphere. The conservatory is fairly humid as it’s kept at 80 degrees, but there are several areas for you to hang your coat if you’re visiting during the winter. Once we entered the biosphere, it wasn’t long before we saw our first few butterflies. the conservatory is home to over a thousand live butterflies from all around the world and the sight is truly beautiful.

The biosphere is incredibly lush, featuring numerous different plants and trees, all conveniently labeled for easy identification. We spent about 30 minutes inside watching butterflies flitter all around us, flying from tree to tree, and sometimes getting close enough to nearly land on us, although, unfortunately, none actually did. An employee stated that they don’t actually land on you, but that the key is to find one that’s already landed, place your finger in front of its nose, and gently scoop it onto your hand, which she did for a few guests who appeared to be on a tour.

Throughout the conservatory, there are several tables and boards set up with sliced fruit on top of them where you can see groups of butterflies eating. These made for great opportunities to observe them while still and admire the detail in their beautiful wings. Our kids really loved trying to spot butterflies in the trees and on the ceilings (many were resting on the walls and ceiling), but were weary when they flew too close. All in all, it was an adorable and wonderful time that I’d encourage any local or visitor to experience!