25th Annual Biology Butterfly Show
Saturday, October 5 – Sunday, October 13, 2024*
*Check back in September for the full schedule. Members of the public will be invited to reserve timed tickets for weekend timeslots.
There’s more to discover!
Help support the butterflies!
The Butterfly Show has been open to the public by donation since its creation 24 years ago. Thank you for over two decades of generous support! Your donations keep the show running year after year.
Donations can be made online using Carleton University’s secure FutureFunder platform or in-person during the show.
Volunteers and Organizers
Meet the Butterfly Show Volunteers and Organizers! Our show would not have been able to run for 23 years without them!
In 2020 and 2021, Let’s Talk Science Ottawa produced 600 individual hands-on learning kits related to the Butterfly Show. These kits brought science-learning to indigenous children and children living in lower socio-economic areas during the week of the show. In 2022 and 2023, Let’s Talk Science continued to reach out to schools in-person, bringing science education to all groups attending the Butterfly Show.
 White Morpho |
 Three Tailed Swallowtail |
 Atlas Moth |
 Blue Clipper |
 Malachite |
 Giant Owl |
| Photo credits to Ed Bruggink |
Our History
The Butterfly Show began in 1999 when Greenhouse Manager Ed Bruggink had an inspiring idea. Observing the excitement that butterfly greenhouses brought to communities across Ontario, he thought, “We could make that happen here at Carleton.” From the outset, the goal was to provide a free community event, inviting families to Carleton and offering young people a unique, early introduction to science education.
Initially, the show ran in May around Mother’s Day. However, in 2002, Carleton asked Ed to host a second Butterfly Show to mark the university’s 60th anniversary. This additional October show, coinciding with Thanksgiving weekend, created a special family-oriented atmosphere. Moreover, Ed could now enlist help from students actively studying on campus during this time of year. With the support of these student volunteers, the October timing became a permanent fixture.
During the global COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Biology faced a crucial decision: cancel the show or attempt a virtual version. Unanimously choosing to adapt, in 2020 and 2021, carefully spaced volunteers offered virtual tours from inside the greenhouse. This innovative approach allowed the show to reach schools and families worldwide for the first time.
As we celebrate our 25th anniversary in 2024, we’re proud of this milestone and deeply grateful to our community donors who made it possible. Thank you to everyone who has attended the show over the past quarter-century. We look forward to continuing the butterfly experience into the future.
Past Event Highlights and Media Coverage
2023 Carleton University’s butterfly show is back: CBC Ottawa Morning.
2022 Butterflies flap their wings at Carleton again as annual show returns: CBC News.
2022 Carleton University’s annual butterfly show set to soar — in-person this year: Capital Current.
2022 Monarch Butterfly Research housed in Carleton Greenhouses: Ottawa Citizen.
2022 Carleton’s first butterfly show since the pandemic features dozens of species: Capital Current.
2020 Virtual Biology Butterfly Show Comes in for a Landing: Carleton Newsroom.
2020 Carleton grows wings: Pushed by COVID-19, the 21st butterfly show adapted well to life online: Capital Current.
2019 Twenty Years of Floating Beauties: Carleton Newsroom.
2019 Butterfly Show Engages Community: Carleton’s Faculty of Science.
2019 Colossal Carleton Blossom Astounds Biologists: Carleton Newsroom.
2018 Dr. Jayne Yack’s research “The Butterflies That Hear With Their Wings”: The Atlantic.
2018 Carleton kicks off annual butterfly show: The Charlatan.
2016 Annual butterfly show features 41 species from around the world: The Charlatan.
2015 PhD Candidate Amanda Lindeman speaks to CBC’s Adrian Harewood: watch the full interview: CBC News.
2015 Video and photos: Annual butterfly show at Carleton University: Ottawa Citizen.
2013 Dr. Jayne Yack’s research “Now we know why butterflies evolved to have ears”: io9 (Gizmodo).
2009 Carleton’s 10 Years of Butterflies: Carleton Biology (Metronews).
2009 Dr. Jayne Yack’s research “Hearing on the wing: New structure discovered in butterfly ears”: University of Bristol.
2008 Dr. Jeff Dawson talks to CBC’s Living in Ottawa host, Maureen Welch, about attracting butterflies to the garden: link no longer available.
Highlights from 2020 (21st Annual Show):
Contact Us
Business Hours: Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. & 1:00 – 4:30 p.m.
Email: biology@carleton.ca