Missoula Butterfly House and Insectarium

Yes …I like big bugs. Actually, small bugs too. And I’ll tell you why.

Simply put, they are cool! Insects and their relatives in the Animal Kingdom play a critical role in all of our lives – in pollination, as an essential part of the natural food chain, by providing decomposition and nutrient recycling services, and so much more. Coming in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors, invertebrates naturally capture our attention and curiosity.

And because they capture our attention, insects are powerful tools for science education.

The oooh’s. The ahhh’s. Even the yuk’s. These are all examples of the reactions we hear in response to an up close and personal experience with our live “Bug Ambassadors”. As attention-grabbing subjects for teaching a variety of scientific topics, insects and their relatives stir an interest in and focus upon the little (and sometimes not so little) things in our world.

Birth of an Idea: While working as a research biologist exploring questions related to evolution with dung beetles, I was often invited to schools to share my growing knowledge of insects. Working with many classes and individual students over the years, I realized that any ecological or biological concept could be taught with insects due to their incredible diversity.

The idea for the Missoula Butterfly House and Insectarium was born!

After returning to school for a masters degree in Museum Exhibit Design and Curriculum Development, I founded the Missoula Butterfly House and Insectarium in 2009. Our mission is to inspire an appreciation and understanding of insects and their relatives through educational programs and innovative science exhibits featuring live invertebrates. Our long-term goal is to open a tropical butterfly house and insect museum in Missoula, MT.

In the first few years our all-volunteer organization raised awareness of our mission and vision by bringing insect education programs – featuring our live Bug Ambassadors – to events and into local classrooms. To assure our vision was based in reality, we also worked with a consultant to conduct a feasibility study …which came back a big thumbs up!

However, opening a tropical butterfly house and insectarium does not happen over night. We had a lot of support and awareness to build, not to mention a lot of funds to raise, before we could consider heading down that exciting road.

The Missoula Insectarium: With the reality of our long-term vision a number of years away, we decided to take an exciting step forward – opening the Missoula Insectarium as the first tangible product of our mission.

The past year has been a whirlwind. We secured and renovated an ideal location in downtown Missoula. We hired additional staff to support our growing operations. We recently passed USDA inspection as a “containment facility” – allowing us to acquire a host of amazing invertebrate species that require permits. And right now we’re finalizing our exhibits, preparing to order some incredible live species, and attending to a shockingly large number of “to do’s” before we open our doors in late May.

It’s been a long road since the idea of an insect education facility in Missoula, MT popped into my brain. But I’m thrilled to announce that it is finally here!

Why? As our parody and video exclaim, “I like big bugs” …and now I’ll tell you why.

They inspire a sense of wonder and awe in the natural world within all of us. They encourage exploration and provide invaluable opportunities to teach and learn about the “little things that run the world”. Without them, life as we know it would simply not exist. It is important to not only learn about the biology and ecology of these species, but what we can do to protect and conserve them.

Our Goal: Our goal is to raise $25,000 (or more) through our Razoo campaign to help us open our doors with confidence, strengthen our growing operations, and expand the reach and impact of our education programs in the months ahead.

Your Gift: Please consider making a gift today to help “give us wings”. And thanks to a generous supporter, the first $5,000 donated will be matched dollar for dollar. So what are you waiting for?

With the nearest insectarium over 450 miles away, your support will help establish a truly unique destination. Whether you live in the Missoula area, simply appreciate our mission, or just love bugs like I do, please make a donation today.

Baby got wings. We sure do …thanks to friends like you.

Best regards,

Jen Marangelo, Executive Director and Founder