Weiss Lake Property Daytrip to the Tessman Butterfly House

The Attraction Of Huntsville Botanical Garden

Butterflies are at their best in the Tessman Butterfly House in the Huntsville Botanical Garden. Along with various colorful plants and flowers that attract butterflies, this house features hundreds of North American butterflies of different species.

The Tessman Butterfly House is the main attraction of this botanical garden from May to the end of September. These light creatures that flutter with their vibrant wings hold a special attraction and appeal for visitors to the Garden.  Kids and adults alike flock the Butterfy House to it to enter the magical world of butterflies.  If you are visiting your mountain property at The Bluffs during these months, be sure to check out the Tessman Butterfly House.

The House

The Tessman Butterfly House is a legacy to Bernhard Tessman, a German rocket scientist, and his wife. This house is a delight to youngsters of all ages. It features at least 6 to 7 varieties of hundreds of butterflies native to the Southeast. Adult butterflies as well as chrysalis (pupa stage) are introduced to the garden every week.  Before sending them to the garden, the senders feed the adult butterflies, cool them, drop them in a soft and small envelope, and place them in a packing box. Then they are shipped to the garden overnight.

Visitors to the Butterfly House can stroll in and around the dome-shaped building and explore butterflies in their different stages of development.

Project – Butterfly Release

This project allows you to be a part of a butterfly release program. By remembering or honoring a special person you can release a butterfly in his or her name. Each butterfly will cost you $25 which goes to support the continued operation of the Tessman Butterfly House. You will also receive a 5”x7” farmable butterfly print and notification to the honoree that you are honoring them.

Butterflies on Parade

Butterflies on Parade - are plastic sculptures that were painted by local artists, and can be seen around the Garden and at some businesses. For instance, you can see “Roofing Butterfly” which is perched on the roof of Tip Top Roof; “Butterfly Butterfly” is seen inside Mason Jewelers, and “Born on the 4th of July” is seen at Big Spring Park lagoon, near the Art Museum. However, all butterflies are due back to the Garden in October for Fall Family Days.   

The Tessman Butterfly House at The Huntsville Botanical Garden is the perfect settings for butterflies. The house is filled with plants and flowers that attract butterflies. The flowers are mainly Butterfly Bush (Buddleia), Lantana, Zinnias, Bee balm, and Purple coneflowers, Sage, Butterfly Weed or other milkweeds.

Butterflies are fascinating to everyone. And if you are interested to see all the stages of growth of the butterfly, Tessman Butterfly House is the perfect place in Huntsville. So don’t miss the butterflies - Memorial Day through September 30th. However, 2005 is the last year for the Butterfly House in its present location. In 2006, we will see the butterflies in the new Nature Center of the Garden, which will include a bigger butterfly house to display more butterflies.