This is the third winter we are spending in Las Vegas, Nevada. The benefits of spending the winter in the Mojave Desert are many: the temperatures remain fairly warm compared to the rest of the United States (important for even the best-insulated recreational vehicles out there); the campground at which we stay has a number of amenities that we appreciate; and the Entertainment Capital of the World has a lot to offer, extending far beyond casinos, theatrical entertainment, and concerts.
One of those attractions we’ve really enjoyed visiting is the Springs Preserve, a beautiful 180-acre piece of land just west of downtown Las Vegas owned and operated by the Las Vegas Valley Water District. True to its name, the Springs Preserve is the original site of the city’s water source – it has since dried up, for the most part, but the property continues to offer a number of different attractions: botanic gardens, several museums (including the Nevada State Museum), a recreated “boomtown” that shows what early Las Vegas was like, hiking trails through the desert, and much more.
We’d been to the Springs Preserve many times in the previous two years, but never to its Butterfly Habitat because it closes for the season, due to cold weather (cold for the Mojave Desert, anyway) in late November. Nancy and I made visiting the Butterfly Habitat a priority for the early part of our 2025-2026 winter in Las Vegas, and we’re glad we did.
You’re familiar with the lifecycle of a butterfly, which includes four distinct metamorphic stages: adults (the ones that fly around) lay eggs on the underside of plant leaves or along stems; the larval stage hatches from those eggs as a caterpillar; the larvae encase themselves in a cocoon or chrysalis; and the adult emerges after a few days or weeks to fly around and the females lay eggs once again.
Butterflies have four wings: two forewings and two hindwings. Some butterflies live only for a few days as adults, and others, like monarchs, can live up to a year. The average lifespan of an adult butterfly is a mere two weeks, which makes seeing them extra-special.
Incidentally, Clark County in southern Nevada is home to Las Vegas and about 135 species of butterflies. They visit the Las Vegas area year-round, heading up to the higher elevations of the nearby mountains to wait out the sweltering summers and some species find warmer microclimates in the winter months. The butterflies at habitats like that at the Spring Preserve, none of which are native to Las Vegas and few of which are even found naturally in this country, come from several suppliers in the United States as eggs or caterpillars.
Here’s a look at the twelve (12!) different species of order Lepidoptera we encountered at the Springs Preserve Butterfly Habitat.
Before entering the habitat, which is fully enclosed to keep the butterflies and their food sources warm, staff and volunteers speak about the rules. If you’ve been to a butterfly habitat before, you’re familiar: don’t touch the butterflies (the scales on their wings are incredibly fragile), don’t step on the butterflies (they sometimes land on the sidewalks of the habitat), and make sure no butterflies leave the habitat on your clothing or body as hangers-on (no one wants to see non-native butterflies loose over the streets of Las Vegas). Although the habitat is a fairly good-sized structure, once we were inside the building Nancy and I probably didn’t move more than 10 feet from the entrance for a good 10 minutes. There was just too much to see! One of the first butterfly species we saw was the zebra longwing (Heliconius charitonius), also known as the yellow-barred heliconian. There were many of these black-and-yellow butterflies flitting about the entire habitat. The species has a wingspan of between 3 and 3 3/8 inches (75-85 mm). The color pattern is aposematic: the stripes warn predators to stay away from it. Zebra longwings are native to the gulf states, but sometimes can be found as far west as Kansas and as far north as South Carolina.Here is another species we saw frequently in the habitat: the postman butterfly (Heliconius melpomene). Like the previous species, the postman’s bright colors warn predators to look elsewhere for a meal. In the wild, they are found throughout Central and South America – particularly on the slopes of the Andes Mountains. This species has a wingspan of 1.375 to 1.5 inches (35-39 mm).This is an image of another postman, showing the underwings as it perches on this plant stem. Postman butterflies can see in the ultraviolet spectrum, which allows them to distinguish between different species of butterflies. The postman butterfly has been on the planet for a little over 2 million years (not this particular one; the species as a whole – after emerging from its cocoon, a postman butterfly lives for about six months in the wild).Cattleheart (Parides iphidamas) butterflies in the wild get their nutrients from a plant called pipevine. The adult butterflies ingest a toxin from pipevine, which keeps predators from eating them as well as the caterpillars. This species, too, is found in Central and South America. Nancy and I both appreciated the dark coloration, coupled with the bright magenta spots on the hindwing, of this species.Here is a butterfly probably familiar to all, the monarch (Danaus plexippus). Monarchs are one of the great migratory species of the animal kingdom. While many butterfly species make their way across relatively short distances to warmer climes as the seasons change, monarchs fly thousands of multi-generational miles each year. Their wings, spanning 3 1/2 to 4 inches (8.9-10.2 cm), carry them from southern Canada, throughout the western, central and eastern United States, and finally into Mexico, and then back again in the spring. (Unlike some other migratory animals, like birds, the trip takes roughly four generations each season – but it’s still an admirable feat.) By the by, this is a male monarch – you can tell because of the little black dots on the black stripes on the hindwings near the end of the thorax.Here’s one of the larger butterflies we saw in the habitat, the common blue morpho (Morpho helenor peleides). The wingspan of a common blue morpho is an uncommon 3.0 to 7.9 inches (7.5-20 cm). Those of you fortunate enough to be viewing this blog on color screens will notice there’s not much blue on this bug. Here’s the deal on blue morphos, which are from Central and South America: they don’t much care for cold temperatures. Daytime highs in Las Vegas had plummeted into the mid-60s during our mid-November visit, and it had briefly rained the night before. All butterflies are cold-blooded and rely on their environments to regulate their body temperature. In order to conserve heat, this blue morpho kept its wings closed the entire time we were in the habitat. If it had been a little warmer, we probably would have seen the brilliant blue of the tops of its wings – judging from the pictures I’ve seen online (I have a color monitor), they’re just gorgeous. The underside of the wings are pretty attractive too, of course. Some of the butterflies we saw, like this paper kite (Idea leuconoe), appeared to be yearning to be outside the habitat. However, it was much warmer, and the butterflies had much easier access to food sources, inside the building. Paper kites are natives of southeast Asia but can also be found in northern Australia and southern Taiwan. They have wingspans of 4 3/4 to 5 1/2 inches (12-14 cm). I really liked the subtle yellow-to-white coloration on this butterfly; while it doesn’t necessarily scream “DON”T EAT ME! SERIOUSLY!” like patterns we’d seen on other species, I’d probably refrain from doing so anyway.Speaking of escaping the bonds of the butterfly habitat, one of the volunteers there said that they really have to keep on eye on this species, the great southern white (Ascia monuste), to make sure it doesn’t follow visitors out the door.This picture happens to show the butterfly’s proboscis, which uncurls so that the butterfly can ingest nectar and other nutrients. In visiting a number of different flowering plants, many butterflies are important pollinators. Great southern whites are found on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States and on south to Argentina, with individuals occasionally straying to Kansas and Colorado. Great southern whites have wingspans of 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 inches (63-86 mm), a little bigger than half the size of the previously pictured paper kite.Hey, who let this giant owl into the forested butterfly habitat? I’m just kidding with you right now. This species is, in fact, a forest giant owl (Caligo eurilochus), another huge butterfly that has absolutely gorgeous multicolored top wings but this cranky guy never opened his wings during our visit. When they do open, the wingspan of a forest giant owl measures up to 6 3/4 inches (17 cm). In the wild, this species is found in Mexico, Centrai America, and down to the Amazon River basin. There are about 20 species within the owl butterfly genus, which gets its name from the eyespots on its underwing. The scientists are still undecided about the purpose of the eyespot; it might be an adaptation to mimic a large bird’s face, or it might serve as a target so that predators attack the wing rather than the body of the butterfly.This pretty species, Julia butterfly (Dryas iulia), is native to Brazil and up to Texas and Florida, and can sometimes be found as far north as Nebraska. Their wingspans measure 3 1/4 to 3 1/2 inches (82-92 mm). I liked how the color of its wings matched that of the blossoms of this lantana plant. There are 14 recognized subspecies of Julia.This is a terribly out-of-focus photo, but it’s the only one I have of this species. Its wings are not green, but rather display the color of the leaves on which it’s perched. The butterfly’s wings are transparent, giving it the name glasswing (Greta morgane oto). It is found in Central America and northern parts of South America, with occasional forays up into southern Texas and down to northern Chile. Its wingspan measures 1 to 1 1/4 inches (2.8-3 cm). This little butterfly looks pretty delicate, but it can carry up to 40 times its own weight – it, too, is a noted migrator. Malachite is a mineral that is bright-green in color, and it gives its name to this species of butterfly. The malachite (Siproeta stelenes) butterfly is fairly large, with a wingspan measuring between 3 1/4 and 4 inches (8.5-10 cm). It is found throughout Central and South America, and occasionally makes its way into Cuba as well as the southern parts of Texas and Florida. If you’re still reading this with a color screen, you’ll notice that the green on the wings isn’t particularly bright, so why is this butterfly called a malachite?This is why. Remarkably, this is the same butterfly species, malachite, as the one pictured above (although not the same butterfly; this one has a black body). It illustrates the huge difference between coloration patterns on the top and bottom of the wings of some butterflies.I’ll close with a couple of photos of another butterfly that illustrates the sharp difference between coloration of the top and bottom of its wings. We saw a lot of these butterflies, the common green birdwing (Ornithoptera priamus); in the wild they’re found in the western Pacific islands and northeast Australia.Again, this is the same species, common green birdwing, as in the preceding photo. Those are some bright colors, and even the bug’s thorax and abdomen are getting fancy. There are more than 20 subspecies of green birdwings.
Nancy and I spend a lot of time observing wildlife, mostly birds. It’s a relaxing pastime for us, and it’s a great way to get out to appreciate nature. The visit to the Springs Preserve Butterfly Habitat was incredibly rewarding, and I noticed, among the vibrant colors and the wide variety of sizes and body shapes, a big difference compared to other wildlife encounters. There were no birds chirping or calling to another, there were no hooves or paws passing through the grass, there were no sounds of grass being pulled from the ground or leaves being stripped from trees as food. Butterflies are totally silent, and they’re absolutely beautiful.
As I noted, the Springs Preserve Butterfly Habitat closes near the end of November and then closes for the winter months. If you find yourself in the Entertainment Capital of the World and want to do something pretty quiet, the habitat is a great way to get away from the noise and bright lights of Las Vegas. Check the habitat’s website (www.springspreserve.org/explore/butterfly-habitat.html) for current operating hours.
Works Consulted
Interpretive signage at the Springs Preserve Butterfly Habitat
“Field Guide to Insects & Spiders,” National Audubon Society, Borzoi Books, 2006
Wikipedia articles on various butterfly species; if you use Wikipedia, please consider supporting it financially
The ABQ BioPark includes the city’s Botanic Garden, Aquarium, and Zoo. The first two attractions are next to each other, just a short distance from the Old Town Plaza of Albuquerque. We visited the Botanic Garden on Nov. 14 and had a lovely time. We’ve been to a couple of other botanic gardens in the American Southwest (Tucson and Phoenix), and Albuquerque’s is definitely a jewel – even though our visit was during the offseason when there were very few flowering plants.
A number of structures, representing plants, animals, and holiday decorations, for the garden’s holiday light display were already out, although the nightly display didn’t start for another week or two. Still, it was pretty neat to see the structures close up and ready to go.
Although it was mid-November, there were still a few plants in bloom like this Chocolate Flower (Berlandiera lyrata) hosting a bee that, judging from the amount of pollen on its legs, had already been very busy that morning.This fan aloe (Kumara plicatilis) is a native of South Africa. It’s one of many eye-catching succulent plants that were on display in a couple of different buildings at the garden.The fruit of the Texas prickly pear (Opuntia engelmannii) makes for good eating by animals and humans alike. When we were on a guided tour of Old Town Albuquerque the previous weekend, one of our fellow tourists (who was apparently not from the United States) picked one of these off the host cactus with his bare hand. He regretted that decision.This was another outside plant that was in full bloom and attracting bees – it’s Autumn Sage (Salvia greggii).This distinctive cactus was potted inside a building. It’s Opuntia microdasys, or bunny ears, and it’s native to Mexico.The thing I love most about going to botanic gardens is seeing all of the different wildlife that enjoy the plants as well. This is a common checkered-skipper (Pyrgus communis) pollinating a woodland sage (Salvia nemorosa) plant. These butterflies are found from Canada all the way into Mexico. The photo’s blurry, but the butterfly wasn’t being very cooperative in holding still.In the very pretty Japanese garden area, the Nanking cherry trees (Prunus tomentosa) were full of fruit. These are enjoyed by birds and humans too; they’re more closely related to plums than to true cherries.By the time you hear the wingflaps, it’s already too late. Much as we did the day before at Rio Grande Visitor Center State Park, we heard a lot of sandhill cranes flying overhead. These were low enough to photograph.I saw my first-ever wood duck at the state park on Saturday but didn’t get a decent photo. There were plenty of wood ducks in one of the Botanic Garden’s ponds. They’re remarkably beautiful birds. This is a hen and drake pair.As incredibly gaudy as the drakes are, the wood duck hens are very attractive as well. This little lady seems to have a contented smile.Wood duck drakes are just amazingly beautiful, but they look like they were put together by several different committees of very talented artists who didn’t communicate very well in the design process.Here’s another bird that was new to me: the American wigeon. They are found throughout North America except the furthest reaches of northern Canada. This is a drake …… and here’s a hen. The very pretty light blue bill of the wigeon shows up better in this photo. She’s on the move to someplace that must be very important to be.Here’s another new-to-me bird: the black phoebe (Sayornis nigricans). They’re about six inches tall and the males and females have the same coloration. Black phoebes are found in the southwestern United States, and central New Mexico is about as far north as they go. This one was hanging out on a sculpture in the pond, keeping an eye out for flying bugs.I’ll close this posting with yet another photo of a wood duck. The lighting’s no good on it (although the mahogany color at the base of the tail is very pretty), but I really like that the duck is looking up – I don’t see ducks doing that very often. You may well wonder what this one was looking up at, so I may as well tell you: the duck was looking up at a little boy named Owen. How did we know the duck was looking up at Owen? Because Owen was standing behind a fence over the pond, tossing dried leaves to the ducks. How did we know the boy’s name was Owen? Because we heard his name being called about 300 times by his little friends. We hope that Owen and his friends slept well that night, because we know they had a very active day at the ABQ BioPark Botanic Garden.
Tales of The Goddard 