Butterfly Wonderland is BUG CRAZY during the month of BUGtober! Celebrate the fascinating creepy crawlies like large tropical beetles, giant walking sticks, exotic mantids, and more! You might even get to touch one or EAT ONE!
Activities all month long include:
- Daily Bug talks where you can touch bugs, hear fun facts and information from one of our bug specialists, and even a chance to eat bugs!
- A nursery featuring the cutest bugs of them all, the Baby Bugs!
- Special bug-themed Critters & Crafts, Face Painting, and a Coloring Contest
- FREE Movie in the courtyard showing “A Bug’s Life”
It all culminates in the biggest bug bash of the year, the 3rd Annual Bug Fest, on Sunday, Nov 3rd!
OdySea in the Desert Courtyard Activities
• Movies in the Desert: A Bug’s Life, Saturday, ‘BUGtober’ 19th at 5pm
FREE – Outside in the OdySea in the Desert Courtyard
No Admission Required
Click here for the full event details for A Bug’s Life!
• Bug Fest! – The BIGGEST Bug Bash of the Year!, Sunday, Nov. 3rd, 10am-2pm
FREE – Outside in the OdySea in the Desert Courtyard
No Admission Required
Click here for the full event details for Bug Fest!
Butterfly Wonderland Programming
• VIP Behind the Scenes Tour of Butterfly Wonderland, Every Friday, 1-3:30 p.m. – Take a special VIP Behind the Scenes Guided Tour around the whole attraction, including access to several areas closed to the general public. Click here for full tour details and link for tickets.
• Daily Bug Talks (FREE), 11:30am & 3pm – Educational talks about our unique Spineless Giants – Learn from one of our “bug specialists” about some of the largest insects from around the world. Be amazed at the large tropical beetles, giant walking sticks exotic mantids and more! You might even get to touch one! FREE with admission.
• Baby Bug Nursery, 9am – 5pm Daily – Check out our new nursery featuring the cutest bugs of them all, the Baby Bugs! Every day in the Conservatory.
• Complimentary Face Painting, every Saturday & Sunday from 10am-4pm in ‘BUGtober’ From a delicate butterfly to a slinky snake, children love the creative face painting. Get your favorite bug-themed face applied by our talented face-painting artist! DONATIONS support the Butterfly Wonderland Foundation, a 501(c)3 non-profit.
• Kids Time: Bugs, Critters & Crafts, Wednesday, “BUGtober’ 9, 10-11am & Thursday, ‘BUGtober’ 17, 4-5pm – Especially for preschool thru 3rd grade, as we celebrate BUGtober, get an up close and personal look at one of our many bugs we have. Education Specialist Vicki Smith will also have a fun and educational storytime and craft activity. Meet in Multi-Purpose Room. FREE with admission; attendees are eligible for 10% off a Butterfly Wonderland annual pass to enjoy this fun activity time again and again!
• Butterfly Princess Day, Saturday, ‘BUGtober’ 12, 8:30-10am – Children dressed as butterfly fairies or princesses will enjoy a special day just for them. Enjoy some sweet treats and refreshments while you do some fun craft activities. A talking Butterfly Fairy will be hosting your event and you can have your picture taken with her. Limit to 25. Fee is $15/adults and $10/children 13 and under. Pre-registration required and payment due when you register. RSVP by Friday, Oct.11. (480) 800-3000, ext. 210.
• Beetlemania, Saturday ‘BUGtober’ 19th, 11am-1pm – Meet Katherine Arguez (Mack), a PhD. student at Arizona State University, who will share her passion of beetles and tell us some amazing facts about Coleoptera. She will bring some of her amazing friends and some displayed specimens as well. She has done extensive field research on beetles across the South Eastern United States, Mexico and Cuba. Come meet some amazing beetles up close. FREE with admission.
• Halloween Weekend, ‘BUGtober’ 26th-27th – Come dressed as a bug (ages 5 and under) and get FREE admission !
• Kids Coloring Contest, ‘BUGtober’ 1 – 31st – Butterfly Wonderland invites your child (ages 4 thru 16) to participate in a fun Coloring Contest to help us kick off BUGtober at Butterfly Wonderland. We will announce the grand prize winner at BugFest, Sunday, Nov. 3 at Noon. Click here for the full list of rules and your choice of bug to download, print, color and turn in at Butterfly Wonderland anytime in ‘BUGtober’!