Inside the dome, a magnificent neotropical rainforest stretches 90 feet above. Delight in the exploits of 1,600+ live plants and animals, including taxicab-like sun beetles, leafcutter ants hard at work, and a slithering Amazonian tree boa.
From the canopy, plunge (via elevator) four stories down for a beneath-the-surface view of an Amazonian flooded forest. At each stage of the journey, youll come face-to-face with some of the incredible animals that call these forests home.
Help stop the spread of bird flu! Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), or bird flu, has been reported in Northern California, and can be highly contagious and lethal in birds. If you have been in contact with wild birds or poultry within the past 24 hours of your visit, please DO NOT enter Osher Rainforest. Thank you for helping keep our animals safe and healthy! For more information on HPAI, please visit cdc.gov/flu/avianflu.
Watch the life cycle of tropical butterflies and moths unfold before your eyes. In our butterfly emergence chamber on the top floor of the rainforest, youll see shiny chrysalises and structurally impressive cocoons alongside butterflies stretching their newly formed wings.
Housed within a spectacular 90-foot-diameter glass dome, our rainforest exhibit is the largest of its kind in the world. With temperatures of 82–85 degrees and humidity at 75 percent or above, it will instantly transport you to some of the most biodiverse places on Earth. 0
The rainforests living plants include trees like the Brazilian beauty leaf and West Indies mahogany, dozens of shrubs—including Theobroma cacao, the plant from which chocolate is made—and hundreds of flowering plants, from begonias and philodendrons to orchids, bromeliads, and our rare corpse flower. 0
The rainforest is home to an astonishing diversity of vividly colored butterflies. With an estimated 17,500 butterfly species worldwide rainforests contain some of the most beautiful and unique species on Earth. Let’s explore some of these winged wonders and why rainforests are such hotspots of butterfly diversity.
Why Are There So Many Butterflies in Rainforests?
Several factors make tropical rainforests ideal habitats for butterflies:
-
Abundant food sources. Rainforests contain a huge variety of flowering plants providing nectar that sustains adult butterflies. Many rainforest plants also serve as caterpillar host plants.
-
Warm climate. Butterflies are cold-blooded and thrive in warm tropical temperatures year-round. The lack of freezing weather enables more delicate species to survive.
-
High rainfall. Frequent rain nourishes the lush plant growth that butterflies rely on.
-
Canopy structure. The layered canopy provides a range of microclimates for different butterfly species.
-
Reduced competition. With over half of all butterfly species worldwide, rainforests have lower competition among species compared to temperate regions.
-
Lower predation. Birds that prey on butterflies are less diverse and abundant in rainforests.
These prime conditions allow rainforests to support a stunning diversity of butterflies. Even a small section of rainforest can be home to hundreds of breathtaking species.
Size and Appearance
Rainforest butterflies come in a spectacular range of sizes, from tiny skippers to giant birdwing butterflies with 25 cm wingspans. They display a dazzling palette of colors and patterns.
Brightly colored species often have toxic or foul-tasting chemicals in their bodies, advertising their defense to predators. Duller colored butterflies blend into their surroundings with camouflage. Some exhibit dramatic differences between their dull undersides and vivid uppersides.
Many larger species have elongated forewing tips or tail-like hindwing projections. Spots, bands, and dazzling iridescent ultraviolet colors are common. No two species are exactly alike!
Behavior and Habits
Rainforest butterflies have some fascinating behaviors and adaptations:
-
Mud-puddling – Butterflies extract minerals and salts from wet mud and dung.
-
Hilltopping – Males congregate on hilltops to locate mates.
-
Mimicry – Harmless species mimic distasteful ones to avoid predation.
-
Communal roosting – Groups roost together on branches for safety.
-
Migration – Some species migrate long distances across rainforests.
-
Death feigning – Some play dead when threatened.
-
Warning calls – Disturbed butterflies emit clicks to warn others.
-
Extrafloral nectaries – Some butterflies feed on nectar from leaves or stems, not just flowers.
Observing these behaviors is part of what makes rainforest butterfly watching so fascinating.
Diversity Hotspots
Some especially butterfly-rich rainforests include:
The Amazon Basin – Over 3,000 species due to its immense size. Morpho butterflies are an iconic sight.
Central America – Diverse migratory species along mountain chains. Features the brilliant blue morpho and owl butterflies.
Southeast Asia – Estimated 1,000 species including birdwings, swallowtails, and leafwings.
Madagascar – High levels of endemism with over 290 species, 98% found nowhere else.
The Australian Wet Tropics – Unique species like the Cairns birdwing, Ulysses, and green birdwing.
Threats and Conservation
Deforestation is the greatest threat facing rainforest butterflies. Habitat loss from logging, agriculture, and development destroys food sources and microclimates butterflies need to survive.
Climate change and invasive species are also concerning threats. Several spectacular species are endangered, like Queen Alexandra’s birdwing and Homerus swallowtail of Jamaica.
Protecting rainforests preserves vital habitat for these exquisite insects. Raising butterflies in greenhouses provides an insurance population, while butterfly houses educate the public.
Though delicate, butterflies exemplify the breathtaking biodiversity of the imperiled rainforests they inhabit. Experiencing these “flying flowers” is a privilege and reminder of why rainforest conservation matters. Their beauty and diversity continues to inspire awe in all lucky enough to encounter them.
Animals of the rainforest
More than 1,600 live animals reside in our rainforest dome, including 250 free-flying birds and butterflies and close to 100 exotic reptiles and amphibians. From the bright flashes of blue morpho butterflies to the jewel-like colors of poison-dart frogs, youll see fauna at its most dazzling. 0
Surround yourself with hundreds of tropical, freshwater fish by taking the flooded forest tunnel, a transparent passage that plunges right through our 100,000-gallon Amazonian tank. See cichlids dart through the roots of a mangrove cluster while turtles and arowana soar overhead. 0 2 new exhibits—1 epic experience!
Stomp and splash into spring at the Academy with two awe-inspiring exhibits—Dino Days and Unseen Oceans—now open daily!
Osher Rainforest opens 30 minutes after the museum opens Monday–Saturday. Monday–Saturday, 10 am–4:45 pm Sunday, 11 am–4:45 pm
Enter the rainforest on the Main Floor, across from the Academy Café. Animal care at the Academy
AZA-accredited since 1994, the Academy is dedicated to providing exceptional care for our 60,000 live animals. Meet the Animal Care team, see how we keep our creatures healthy and engaged, and explore our conservation programs.
Beautiful Rainforest Butterflies
FAQ
What kind of butterfly lives in the rainforest?
Blue morphos live in the tropical forests of Latin America from Mexico to Colombia. Adults spend most of their time on the forest floor and in the lower shrubs and trees of the understory with their wings folded. However, when looking for mates, the blue morpho will fly through all layers of the forest.
Are monarch butterflies in the rainforest?
Monarchs living west of the Rocky Mountain range in North America overwinter in California along the Pacific coast near Santa Cruz and San Diego. Here microclimatic conditions are very similar to that in central Mexico. Monarchs roost in eucalyptus, Monterey pines, and Monterey cypresses in California.
What do butterflies eat in the Amazon rainforest?
-
Nectar and Flowers:Just like butterflies elsewhere, many in the Amazon feed on nectar from flowers, using their proboscis to reach sugary treats.
-
Some butterflies, especially in the tropics, are known for their fondness of rotten or decaying fruit, which offers a sugary and liquid source of food.
-
Butterflies in the rainforest are also known to consume animal dung and decaying animal flesh, utilizing the sugars from decomposition.
-
Some butterflies, particularly males, gather salts and minerals from moist sources like puddles, wet gravel, and even sweat or urine.
-
Some butterflies in the western Amazon are known to drink turtle tears, which contain sodium and other minerals, which are scarce in the area.
-
Other potential food sources include tree sap, bird droppings, fungi, and animal secretions.
Why do blue morpho butterflies live in the rainforest?
Habitat and Distribution
These butterflies prefer the lowland rainforests but can also be seen in secondary forests and other wooded areas. In their natural habitat, Blue Morpho butterflies spend most of their time in the forest canopy, where they are safe from many ground predators.
What butterflies live in the rainforest?
Scarce Bamboo Page One of the species also found at higher altitudes of the rainforest is The Scarce Bamboo Page (Philaethria dido). A species of The Americas, the butterfly is also seen in Southern Texas on some years. This is a type of butterfly that prefers habitats along rainforest streams.
What butterfly species live in the Daintree Rainforest?
The Daintree Rainforest may be the oldest rainforest in the world and thousands of beautiful butterflies live in the tropical area. 65% of Australian butterfly species can be found in the Daintree Rainforest! This is about 230 out of 435 Australian butterfly species in the area! 1. Ulysses butterfly
What are the biggest butterflies in the rainforest?
1. Ulysses butterfly You can easily spot out these Ulysses butterflies from the bright blue with black trimming around the wings. The large swallowtail butterflies are about 14 centimetres in wingspan, making them one of the biggest in the rainforest.
What do butterflies eat in the tropical rainforest?
Butterflies are able to utilize all of the food resources of the tropical rainforest. All butterflies have a distinct larval stage, in which the butterfly exists as a jawed and usually plant-eating caterpillar, followed by a resting, non-feeding pupal stage. Adult butterflies are fluid feeders.
How many legs does a rainforest butterfly have?
These rainforest butterflies are known as brush footed butterflies as they have only four functional legs. The first two are reduced to a small ornament under their head. An iconic genus of the Amazon Rainforest are the blue morphos (Morpho peleides, pictured above). They are a large butterfly with a wing span of up to 17 cm (6.7 inches).
What does a butterfly look like in a rainforest?
As a rainforest species, the butterfly is found across Central and South American rainforests where it emerges with dark ventral wings and bright blue dorsal wings. Its ventral coloring brightens to nuances of brown with additional eyespots while its dorsal side darkens.