Butterfly farm

This weekend, I was visiting family and Sunday we all took the chance to go to Stratford-upon-Avon. First thing we did was go visit the Butterfly farm. This is the 2nd time I have visited this place and it is just as good as last time.

As you go through the doors, the air changes. The main Rainforest area is warm and wet and green-smelling, and there are butterflies everywhere: overhead, at ankle height, sunning themselves on the handrails, feeding off the plants, or drifting past your face on their way to somewhere more interesting. It is a mini tropical forest inside, with walkways surrounded by lush vegetation and lots of trees as well as streams running into a large pond where you can feed the koi. To top it off, if you look upwards, you will find the free-roaming iguanas.

The butterflies are all around you, flying around your head and if you stay still some will land on you. Across the year, they will have up to 200 species of butterflies and generally there will be up to 2000 flying around. Everywhere you look, you will see brightly-coloured butterflies. It's wonderful to stand still for a second and let the place happen to you.

Insects & Reptiles

Once outside the Rainforest area you go into the Minibeast metropolis section. This is a great collection of insects and other creatures. Whilst the stick insects, poison frogs, and snakes were fascinating, my favourite part is the very large leafcutter ant colony which spans a few tanks and even a rope where you can see them march whilst carrying leaves.

Overall, a fun couple of hours and for 7 of us, including 1 child, it was £77 for tickets. Given how impressive the setup is, I don't consider that bad value.

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