Butterflies

Some time ago, a Norwegian visitor who was also a butterfly lover confessed with teary eyes that he had never before seen a live Morpho helonor, the gorgeous common blue morpho butterfly. Habitual in the forest and always present in our butterfly vivarium, it landed on his shoulder. A moment he will never forget.

It is estimated that there are about 500 butterfly species at the Ducke Forest Reserve, and finding magnificent butterflies across the trails is commonplace.

At the Butterfly vivarium, visitors may follow the entire lifecycle of the butterflies, from the egg stage, from which they emerge as larvae to become caterpillars, which feed and grow until they form pupae (chrysalises) and then emerge as adults (imagoes). This metamorphosis is displayed in greatly amplified photographs and films – a must-see exhibition.

Related gallery:
Borboletas