Love is like a butterfly

A tropical rainforest in the centre of Stratford Upon Avon? Not quite, but the closest you can get to the tropical experience in Stratford is to visit the Stratford Butterfly Farm.

There is also a huge selection of tropical plants to feed the butterflies as well as several birds including two colourful Indian Ring-Necked Parakeets and the African Mousebirds with their distinctive spikey hairstyles and long feathers. There are also diamond doves from Australia, yellow kakrakis, from New Zealand, a pair of rosy bourkes, java sparrows and several small but loud zebra finches. Fortunately, all the birds are noninsectivorous preferring to eat seeds and fruit, not the butterflies!

Try and spot the resident Iguana! Prudence is a green Iguana, originating from South America. She was donated to the Butterfly Farm about 8 years ago. She likes to hide up in the trees and bask in the warmth on top of the heaters.

When I walked into the flight area, I was overwhelmed by the number of butterflies fluttering around me. The landscaped tropical greenhouse comes complete with gushing waterfalls, a pond full of enormous fish and a huge range of tropical plants. It also has over 1,500 free flying butterflies feeding, resting and breeding. Be prepared because this is a tropical environment so it very humid. It is very hot and sticky so remember to leave your coats in the cloakroom.

The Stratford Butterfly Farm is the largest tropical butterfly display in the UK with over 250 different species of tropical butterfly from 20 different countries. Many of the butterflies are bred within the Butterfly Farm and the rest are imported from the tropics.

Look out for the two small ground dwelling birds called the Chinese Painted Quail in the Mini beast Metropolis, which is home to a fantastic range of spiders, including the Goliath bird eater, one of the world’s largest spiders. There are also two Amazing Leafcutter Ant Colonies. I loved the ants – there were millions of them all being very industrious. There were millions of ants carrying tiny pieces of leaf and twig slowly making their way backwards and forwards along a tightly twisted rope above my head. I was a little wary that some of the ants may fall from the rope.

In the Discovery Zone visitors can marvel at the butterfly’s life cycle and see some of the world’s largest, spikiest, hairiest and most camouflaged caterpillars. You may even be fortunate to catch a butterfly hatching from its chrysalis.

The farm is just a short walk over the river Avon foot bridge, opposite the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. There is plenty of car parking right outside their doors. I really enjoyed my short visit to the butterfly farm and would highly recommend a visit next time you are in the Stratford Upon Avon. For an enjoyable and educational morning or afternoon the Butterfly farm is a wonderful place to spend a few hours.

Stratford Butterfly Farm Swan’s Nest Lane, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, CV37 7LS

Jim Davis is a retired Northamptonshire secondary school teacher. Having worked as a freelance journalist for many years, he now writes a travel blog. He is available to write blog reviews for attractions, hotels and restaurants. Please contact him directly at thetravellocker@outlook.com

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