Monarch Butterfly release at Auckland Botanic Gardens
22 February 2026 - 22 February 2026
10 am–1 pm
Region(s): Auckland
Type(s): experiences
Come along and witness hundreds of monarch butterflies take flight. This free, family-friendly event, held in partnership with Franklin Farms and Multiple Sclerosis Auckland, celebrates pollinator conservation and the beauty of nature.
There will also be entertainment including live music, giant outdoor bubbles, wooden lawn games, and a monarch-themed tattoo station. There will also be food and drink for sale from Miko Café, a real fruit ice cream truck, a special Multiple Sclerosis Auckland bake sale, and of course, exploring! Don't miss out on the Tangled Roots exhibition and the award-winning Potters Children’s Garden at Auckland Botanic Gardens.
The butterflies will be released at 11am.
Monarch butterfly swarm
Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) get the press on migration – but many more insect species migrate.
Location: Auckland Botanic Gardens, 102 Hill Road, Manurewa, Auckland.
For more information, including the free parking options: www.aucklandbotanicgardens.co.nz/whats-on/events/monarch-butterfly-release-at-auckland-botanic-garden
Related content
Find out more about Monarch butterflies and the Monarch butterfly life cycle.
Read about how scientists gathered data about monarch butterflies in this Connected article Look out for Monarchs.
Investigating butterflies – an introduction is a handy curration of all of our butterfly content.
Sparked an interest in butterflies? Why not take part in the 2026 Big Butterfly Count citizen science project, it is running 9–27 February.
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