TEXAS BUTTERFLY TOUR:
Fauna Ventures’s Texas trips are centered around the fabled Lower Rio Grande Valley where you will experience what is undeniably the best butterflying in the United States. This special region in south Texas is a must-see for anyone interested in butterflies with more than 300 species documented, and almost half of those seen nowhere else in the country. This Texas butterfly tour is suitable for all levels, from the butterfly newbie to the practiced naturalist. The sheer amount of flora and fauna you will see should be a feast for your eyes. We highly encourage you to bring a camera with a big memory card because you’ll need it! Texans themselves are very welcoming and the food and culture you will experience, along with the butterflies and the promise of an adventure of a lifetime, should lead you to book your spot today!
Featured Trip
Butterflies of the Lower Rio Grande Valley All Inclusive
Join us for a week-long trip to the fabled Lower Rio Grande Valley to experience what is probably the best butterflying in the United States. This special region of Texas has documented more than 300 species of butterflies, with almost half of those seen nowhere else in the United States. This trip is for all levels, whether you are a butterfly newbie or a practiced naturalist.
NO AVAILABILITY, 2025 DATES TBD
BEAUTY AT EVERY TURN
On Fauna Ventures guided Texas butterfly tours, you will be led to some of the most amazing spots to see beautiful butterflies at every turn. If you think you’ve seen butterflies, such as at a butterfly exhibit somewhere, nothing will compare to this experience. We’ll tour the National Butterfly Center, which is home to over 230 species of butterflies with some rare gems, including the Four-spotted Sailor, the One-Spotted Prepona, and the Broad-tipped Clearwing. Our expert guide will fill you in on every detail about these amazing and beautiful creatures.
STUNNING SIMPLICITY
Fauna Ventures next heads to Falcon State Park, which has amazing butterfly gardens and trails for you to explore. Here on our Texas butterfly tour, you’ll be greeted at every turn by splashes of color so intense that it will take your eyes a moment to sort out the different species of butterflies you will see. From Theona and Elada Checkerspots to Coyote Cloudywings and Sickle-winged Skippers, you will be so amazed that you might never want to leave. Butterflies truly are amazing creatures, so soft and delicate, light and airy, yet tough and resilient that you truly can see the best of the world in these tiny insects.
GORGEOUS GEMS
After exploring these parks, we’ll head off on our Texas butterfly tour to find the coastal butterflies that you probably won’t see elsewhere. These gorgeous butterflies include the Obscure Skipper, Great Southern White, and Walker’s Metalmark. Our butterfly tour guide will lead you through possible stops that include Sabal Palm Sanctuary, which contains some of the last sabal palms in the world and incredible birdlife, and the Palo Alto Battlefield, where elegant butterflies such as the Pale-rayed and the Boisduval’s Yellow mark this historic battle spot of the Mexican-American War. Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge is butterfly heaven, featuring 98,000 acres of protected natural habitat, the largest left in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. Known for being one of only two remaining ocelot populations in the United States, this natural area promises an abundance of new sites and new butterflies to explore.
DAZZLING DANCERS
We end our Texas butterfly tour with a bang at the Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge. This butterfly haven is home to almost half of all butterfly species in the US. Here, you are able to spot over 50 species of butterflies in one day. This special place is a combination of subtropical wetlands, desert, plains, and the gulf coast, attracting hundreds of migratory birds in addition to the butterflies. You can expect to find the Zebra Heiloncians, Julias, Silver-banded Hairstreaks, and so many more here. Experience a part of the world you never knew existed on our Texas butterfly tour.
TEXAS ECOLOGICAL FUN FACTS
- Texas has 10 climatic regions with 11 different ecological regions
- The highest point in Texas is Guadalupe Peak at 8,751 ft
- Texas has 3,700 streams and 15 major rivers. Interestingly, there are no natural lakes in the state of Texas
- Less than 10% of Texas is considered to be a desert climate despite pictures you see often of cacti here
- You will find coastal swamps, forests, mountains, and so much more
- Texas summers can hit well over 90 degrees Fahrenheit and winters are mild, but can dip into the 30s on average
- Landfills are being used for energy production by capturing gas from decomposing waste
- More tires are being recycled every year in Texas, some being used as energy sources
- Composting is up in the state of Texas, helping to reduce waste that goes into landfills
CONSERVATION EFFORTS IN TEXAS
There are many wonderful organizations that have helped further the goal of preserving and protecting the abundant natural resources, animals, and plants that Texas offers for future generations. These nature organizations have different focuses that, when combined, yield extraordinary steps in Texas’s future. Important issues such as climate change, fisheries, habitat protection, waste management, water supply and protection, wildlife management and protection, which includes birds and butterflies, and so many other issues that impact Texas’s natural world are addressed, researched, and invested in so that Texas can continue to be the beautiful state it is today.
HISTORY OF CONSERVATION IN TEXAS
The Conservation History Association of Texas is a non-profit founded in 1997 with the objective of not only conserving the state’s vast natural flora and fauna, but also with the goal of educating others about conservation. It provides funds for research projects as well. The association’s mission is to gather the research and knowledge of conservationists who have helped to shape the formation and the protection of Texas’s natural resources by using video, audio, and text. This research and data collection will form a wealth of knowledge for future generations as they strive to build upon the experience and the successes of those who have come before them.
HOW YOUR BUTTERFLY TRIP PROCEEDS CAN HELP SAVE FLORA AND FAUNA
- Spend time at properties belonging to the North American Butterfly Association
- Helps to purchase habitats for endangered species.
ADVENTURE WITH FAUNA VENTURES TODAY
Fauna Ventures invites you to join our next Texas butterfly tour. Our guides have spent years dedicated to the study of butterflies (or lepidopterology) and are eager to share their knowledge with you. We love showing others the diversity of the world around them. We give back a portion of our Texas butterfly tour proceeds to conservation efforts worldwide in order to protect the habitat of these stunning creatures. Seeing butterflies in nature has the power to turn your day upside down. Seeing hundreds of them will turn your world upside down. Contact us today to get started!
