Butterfly House

Tropical butterflies flutter around all year long in the Butterfly House. This small greenhouse offers a unique opportunity to see them up close. The butterflies lay their eggs on their own specific host plants. Hortus staff collect the eggs and young caterpillars every day. These are then reared separately in a smaller greenhouse until they become chrysalises. When the chrysalises are about to hatch, they are returned to the Butterfly House, where they are hung in a special ‘chrysalis cabinet’. Once the butterflies emerge, they are free to fly around the house.

The tropical plants here are useful plants, used for food, fibres, and medicine. For example, this greenhouse contains a large coffee bush, as well as cocoa, tea, rice, pepper, and sugar cane.