Susanne It did not take me long to drive from the Niagara Falls History Museum I drove to the Niagara Parkway where I made a stop at the Butterfly Conservatory which is located right next to the Botanical Gardens. With temperatures in the mid minus 20s, the snow was crunching under my feet as I took these pictures of the snowy landscape.
One of the main reasons why I had come to the Niagara Parks Butterfly Conservatory was to visit a special educational exhibit called “Nocturnal: Creatures of the Night” which features night-active animals such as a Leopard Gecko, an Emperor Scorpion, a Burmese Python, a Common Snapping Turtle and a Dwarf Caiman. The exhibit was created by Little Ray’s Reptile Zoo of Ottawa and showcased 15 different nocturnal species altogether.
In addition to the live butterflies flying free inside the conservatory, various preserved butterfly specimens are exhibited in display cases at the Niagara Parks Butterfly Conservatory. It is quite difficult to catch good pictures of these agile animals inside the conservatory as they are flitting around quickly and hardly ever sitting long enough to take good pictures. So I took some photos of the butterflies that were mounted in the display cases in the entrance area. At least those weren’t going to get away from me.
On this freezing winter day, the Niagara Parks Conservatory was a great oasis of warmth and greenery. This climate-controlled glass dome is filled with tropical plants and more than 2000 colourful tropical butterflies that flit around or sit down, feeding on nectar. 45 different species are represented here and the entire facility is fully accessible to mobility-impaired individuals as well. Especially during the winter, the Niagara Falls Butterfly Conservatory provides a great escape from the harsh Canadian weather.
One of the best ways to observe and take pictures of the butterflies inside the Niagara Parks Butterfly Conservatory is when they are sitting down and feasting on some of the fruit that has been placed on large plates throughout the glass dome. Tropical plants and statues add even more enchantment to this charming environment.
After leaving the climate-controlled dome of the Niagara Parks Butterfly Conservatory I entered the gift shop which is full of attractive butterfly-themed and other gifts. Images of the stunning Blue Morpho butterfly, one of the most striking such animals, are everywhere.
All sorts of colourful gifts are available at the Niagara Falls Butterfly Conservatory. You can also pick up bird houses, clothing, china, books and more. It’s actually a nice place to browse and pick up some unique gifts for friends and relatives.
Then it was time to head outside and drive south towards the waterfalls in Niagara Falls. I knew this was going to be a rather bone-chilling experience on this cold day, but the Horseshoe Falls have a very special appeal during the winter months, so I bundled up and got ready to brace winter again.
