The Butterfly House at Mackinac Island

I love nature. As adults, we often get caught up in “adult” things and forget to see the excitement in the world around us! Even something as ordinary as a butterfly is complex and awe-inspiring, should you take the time to watch one for a while.

We did just that last summer, during our visit to Mackinac Island. While the Butterfly House wasn’t quite as peaceful with an excited toddler in tow, I still did enjoy watching all the butterflies. The toughest part was watching little hands and keeping them from trying to “pick up” butterflies. That “look but don’t touch” rule can be so tough to remember. This butterfly photograph below is my favorite from our visit:

There were many, MANY more butterflies to watch, and had I tried to photograph them all, it would’ve taken days. But, I guess that’s part of the enticement, you’re always welcome to return. They keep the butterflies warm through the summer months, and then in the spring they get a new set shipped in. There was more talk about how none of these can mate to produce any viable offspring, but I don’t remember the details. Probably has something to do with importing exotic species to the States, and of course there are certain environmental conditions that have to be present in order for any mating attempts to be successful. On that note, let me get back on topic and say that the Butterfly House, while great for older kids, is probably not the best choice for a toddler (mine was frustrated because he couldn’t touch or hold anything). Maybe next time he’ll enjoy it more!

Location: Butterfly House, Mackinac Island, MI.

• Atlantic Islands
• Danube River
• England
• Israel
• Italy
• Nature
• United States
• Switzerland