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Floating, flittering and fluttering; it's impossible to keep up with them all. Your eyes dart East, West, North and South; up and down. The colors are spectacular - bright reds and blues and greens and yellows and blacks and oranges. The butterflies are big and the butterflies are small. Occasionally you'll see a moth in the collection of monarchs, sulfurs, swallowtails, fritillaries and so many more - simply huge numbers of beautiful butterflies.

Sometimes they flit from flower to flower looking for that sip of nectar, and sometimes they circle around you, as if checking you out. They can come so close that you can almost see their eyes watching you and expect them to land on the end of your nose; but they do what butterflies do - glide around like puffs of color in the air.

If you look carefully, you might see a female laying eggs. She'll land, often on the underside of a leaf, her lower body coming forward to deposit her eggs on the surface. These eggs in a week or two will turn into tiny caterpillars. The caterpillars will grow at an amazing rate while they eat the leaves, flowers, bark or branches of the plants on which they were birthed. When they have achieved their full size, they will find a relatively hidden place to lie or attach themselves and hang. They will be relatively dormant during this time while their bodily processes result in the formation of a chrysalis or cocoon. Normally, in a week or two, a fully grown butterfly will emerge from the chrysalis.

Butterfly World keeps at least 3000 butterflies on display at any given time. This could include up to 50 different species of butterfly at a particular time and 150 species throughout the year. Unfortunately, many butterflies don't live very long. Some a matter of weeks and others a matter of months. It all happens so quickly that it almost seems that the whole reason of being a butterfly is to make more butterflies! Most people are glad it happens, no matter why. These wonderful creations are so beautiful that it is very hard to think of them as insects!

Butterfly World was the concept of founder Ronald Boender, originally an electrical engineer with a butterfly hobby. It was to be an attraction for the general public but also a serious research and education center. These goals have been met and Butterfly World is now a top Florida attraction as well as a top laboratory providing butterflies to other research organizations and collectors around the world.

The thrill of Butterfly World goes beyond butterflies, though. In the 3 acres of screened enclosures and throughout the 10 acre property are a great many beautiful tropical and subtropical plants, flowering vines, bushes and trees, all arranged in a fascinating garden with pathways throughout. The moist, still conditions give rise to thoughts of equatorial rain forests, especially under the canopies of some of the palms and flowering trees. Butterfly World claims to have one of the world's largest collections of flowering Passiflora vines and is the host site for the Passiflora Society International. It seems that these serene settings must be a horticulturalist's delight.

We don't want to forget the bird aviaries, either. A very large collection of hummingbirds, finches, honeycreepers and euphonias will dazzle you with spectacular colors and flights. These small birds dart from tree to bush and will reward the persistent viewer with displays and hues that rival rainbows.

The "Lorikeet Encounter" is also another popular exhibit at Butterfly World. Lorikeets are colorful, small, parrot-like birds. They seem to enjoy the company of human visitors to their area and can be easily enticed to land on an arm or eat out of your hand. They also have some odd, clownish behavior that makes them fun to watch.

Butterfly World is located in Coconut Creek, Florida about 30 minutes Northwest of Fort Lauderdale. It can be found easily while traveling I-95 coming from North or South. It has an outstanding gift shop where even chrysalises (the butterfly pupa) can be purchased. This is an outstanding treat no outdoor lover should miss!

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