ENC Native Butterfly House

Photos courtesy of Dianna Kujawski
monarch water feature dogface butterfly

The ENC’s Butterfly House is the only one of its kind in Orange County. It is home to several butterfly species native to the County, including Mourning Cloak, Painted Lady, and Lorquin’s Admiral. The Butterfly House was made possible by a gift from the Rotary Club of Okazaki South in Japan and the Rotary Club of Newport Balboa as a joint centennial community service project. Additional funding was received from Pacific Life Foundation and Home Depot.

Visiting through the Spring and Summer

The Butterfly House is now open Monday - Saturday, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.!
ENC staff and volunteers planted 45 different host and nectar plants for the native Orange County butterflies that live within the Butterfly House. The plants have matured, and each Spring the leaves are munched by caterpillars and flowers provide nectar to the mature butterflies. Within the House is a “nursery” where guests can witness adult butterflies emerge from chrysalises.

Butterfly enthusiasts can visit the ENC throughout the Spring and Summer to view butterfly species such as Monarch, Queen, Buckeye, West Coast Lady, Painted Lady, California Dogface (our state butterfly), Cloudless Sulphur and Anise Swallowtail.

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