The No. 1 butterfly house in the nation isn’t just a place to admire these fluttering beauties.
Norfolk Botanical Garden’s Bristow Butterfly Garden earned its national reputation as an education center and home to species that are native to coastal Virginia.
A USA Today readers poll named it the top butterfly house in the country for the second consecutive year.
The actual house sits among 2.5 acres of meticulously landscaped grounds full of host and nectar plants. The 3,000-square-foot netted enclosure supports the four stages of the insect's metamorphosis from egg to caterpillar to chrysalis to butterfly.
Alex Cantwell refers to it as “a luxury resort."
“We spoil them and give them everything they need in there,” said Cantwell, the senior director of adult education and conservation at the Botanical Garden.
“As adults, butterflies have all the nectar they want, but they also have all the host plants, which are the plants the caterpillars have to eat. Every part of their life cycle is satisfied.”
And caterpillars aren’t easy to satisfy.
They’re more finicky eaters than toddlers. Monarch caterpillars, for example, exclusively feast on milkweed. Whereas Zebra swallowtail caterpillars dine only on the leaves and flowers of pawpaw trees.
Lauren Tafoya, who has managed the butterfly house for 17 years, said: "Virtually no two share the same plant. They taste with their feet, which detect a chemical compatibility. They will not eat out of hunger. They eat out of a relationship with the plant. If they can't find it, they'll starve and die."
Virginia boasts 137 kinds of butterflies; globally, there are 20,000 species, which are critical components of the ecosystem as pollinators and food sources for birds.
While the surrounding acres at the Botanical Garden can support Virginia butterflies, the house focuses on nurturing 18.
“We highlight how awesome the species surrounding us are,” Cantwell said, hitting on what distinguishes the Norfolk house from many of its competitors.
Many of the larger houses are elaborate exhibits that show off tropical plants and exotic species. That requires shipping the insects, which requires a USDA permit. Depending on the permit, the butterflies might not be able to complete their full life cycle at the location.
"It's really highly regulated," Cantwell said. "Here, all the species are native to coastal Virginia. They're allowed to complete their life cycle, follow all their natural urges and in that regard, we're really proud of it."
Education is a chief component of the Norfolk butterfly house, where volunteers are similar to docents. They're eager to show off the pin-sized eggs on the underside of host plants. They'll also point out caterpillars nibbling on the plants, reflected by tiny holes in the foliage.
They'll also direct you to the chrysalis chamber in the rear of the house. At a glance, the cocoon-shaped chrysalides look so similar to one another that they could be mistaken for small earrings. Visitors are told not to touch them as butterflies don't need help while taking in fluid and building muscle, a 10-day to two-week process. Once the butterfly emerges, its life cycle is only two to three weeks.
The netting prevents critters from gobbling eggs, caterpillars and butterflies. In the wild, only 2% of every 100 survive. They're tasty snacks for birds, spiders, lizards and small mammals.
The butterfly house debuted as a one-season, summer exhibit in 2009.
"The interest and outcry of, 'What do you mean you're taking it down?' made the garden decide to invest in it and see what happens," Tafoya said. "And here we are."
The house draws a crowd, with school and camp groups filtering in regularly, in addition to locals and tourists. The house is only open from June 14 to Sept. 30.
Staff is hopeful visitors will leave inspired with ideas on what they can do to help butterflies thrive. The North American Butterfly Association links to an alarming study from 2025 that reports a 22% decline in butterflies over 20 years.
Rather than bagging leaves, Cantwell suggests leaving them as shelter for caterpillars in the colder months. Skip pesticides in the yard. Create a puddling station by combining landscape sand and garden soil or compost in a shallow dish and adding water.
Cantwell lives in an apartment. While she doesn't have a yard full of host plants, she does leave a potted milkweed plant on her balcony to support Monarch butterflies. She also maintains fresh flowers that provide the nectar for butterflies, noting, "Everybody can do a little piece of the puzzle."
For more information, visit Norfolk Botanical Garden.
