Walking with butterflies

The exhibition is only open from 1 July to 1 September.

More than 150,000 species of butterflies have been described worldwide, and this exhibition features about ten of them. We have chosen to show tropical butterflies because, unlike European butterflies that fly high towards the sun, tropical butterflies stay close to the ground, which is related to their natural habitat in rainforests where there is dense vegetation, high humidity and lower light levels.

Butterflies play an important role in nature. Many species feed on nectar and migrate long distances. They help pollinate plants and increase the genetic diversity of distant plant species. In addition, butterflies are lower on the food chain and serve as prey for various animals such as lizards, birds and mice. If butterfly populations decline, so will the populations of birds and other animals that depend on them as a food source.

BUTTERFLY FEEDING

Butterflies feed mainly on nectar, but they can also obtain nutrients from plant sap, faeces, pollen and rotting fruit. They are attracted to sodium, which is found in salt and sweat. This is why they sometimes land on people. Sodium and many other minerals are essential for their reproduction.

MEET THE BLUE MORPHO

The blue morpho (Morpho peleides) or the emperor is the most famous species in the genus Morpho. They can be recognised by their deep blue wings with black edges. Interestingly, their bright blue colour is not the result of pigmentation, but of light reflecting off microscopic scales on the back of their wings. With a wingspan of 10 to 20 cm, the blue morpho is one of the largest butterflies in the world. They are found in the tropical forests of Central and South America, including Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador and Brazil.