The Panhandle Butterfly House in Navarre Florida
Gulf Coast Attraction Features Monarch Butterflies and Local Species
Apr 26, 2009
In 1997, a group of butterfly lovers led by Jack and Fonda Wetherell, teamed with the Navarre Chamber of Commerce and several local organizations to create the Panhandle Butterfly House. With a mission to foster a better understanding of butterflies and increase awareness of the natural habitat in which butterflies thrive, the Panhandle Butterfly House provides a premier educational facility for both locals and visitors alike.
Located in Navarre Park on U. S. Highway 98, next to the Navarre Visitor Center and at the foot of the Navarre Beach bridge, the Panhandle Butterfly House features a butterfly garden for migrating butterflies and a butterfly habitat housing local species. The facility is operated entirely by volunteers and offers classes and education in butterfly gardening, habitat conservation and ecosystem management.
Inside the main entrance is a collection of mounted butterflies from all over the world donated by Gulf Breeze resident Dr. Tom Grow, butterfly plants for sale and friendly docents who are happy to answer questions. Visitors step from the main entrance outside into a secure butterfly haven that includes host plants, feeder plants, fountains a butterfly nursery and dozens of butterflies in flight.
Life Cycle of a Butterfly
Butterflies live from a couple of weeks to several months, so the butterfly life cycle happens quickly. The brief period from the time eggs are laid to mature butterflies means that babies are hatching all the time. Boxes of hungry and growing caterpillars, butterflies in the chrysalis stage and host plants dotted with milky-white butterfly eggs are lined up in the nursery area. Butterflies are also purchased from distributors and butterfly releases are scheduled when new shipments arrive.
Local Florida Butterfly Species
The Zebra Longwing butterfly is the Florida state butterfly and is so called because of its black and yellowish-white striped wings. It usually isn’t found west of Tallahassee, but it along with the brilliant orange Julia and the distinctive orange and back patterned Monarch can be found at the Panhandle Butterfly House.
Monarch Butterfly Migration
In October, the Monarch butterfly migrates to Mexico through the Florida Panhandle. The Panhandle Butterfly House acts as a Monarch waystation where milkweeds outside the building nourish the butterflies on their journey. Volunteers also host a Monarch migration tagging where the butterflies are caught, tagged with a number and released. When the butterflies are found, the finder can contact the Butterfly House and tell where the butterfly was found.
The Panhandle Butterfly House is located on the Northwest Florida Gulf coast about halfway between Pensacola and Destin on U. S. Highway 98. It is open from mid-April to Labor Day each year and on a designated day in October for Monarch migration tagging.
Admission is free, but donations are appreciated. Hours are Thursday through Saturday 10AM to 3PM and Sunday Noon to 4PM. The facility is kid-friendly and handicap accessible. For more information or to schedule a group tour, call the Panhandle Butterfly House at 850-623-3868.
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