Issue 48 AUG 25 web - Flipbook - Page 118
Countdown to Stratford
Butterfly Farm’s 40th
anniversary celebrations
begins!
The countdown to Stratford-upon-Avon Butterfly Farm’s 40th anniversary which takes place in less
than 2 weeks’ time, has begun! Over 40 years ago Clive Farrell had a dream to create an attraction
that would introduce visitors to the wonderment of butterflies. This dream became a reality in 1985
when the Butterfly Farm opened its gates to the public, and 40 years on, remains the UK’s largest and
most successful butterfly farm. Since then, over 5 million visitors and 2 million school children, have
walked amongst the stunning, tropical butterflies in the live displays.
credible decades. Come and join us over the summer holidays in celebrating this special year, experience the magic,
walk amongst the butterflies, and help us continue our
mission of inspiration, conservation and education.”
To celebrate this milestone, the Butterfly Farm is organising several special activities starting with an anniversary
celebration on Friday 18 July, hosted by Clive Farrell, with
invited guests including Mayor of Stratford-upon-Avon,
Dani Hunter, and Stratford-upon-Avon MP, Manuela
Perteghella. Throughout the summer holidays from 19
July – 1 September, visitors can enjoy competitions, write
a birthday wish in the Discovery Zone, and take part in
butterfly life cycle, mini-beast, beetle mania and pupae
demonstrations.
The Butterfly Farm is appealing to visitors to share their
memories or old photographs of the Butterfly Farm over
the years. Whether it was a family day out, a school trip,
or a magical butterfly moment, they would love to hear
visitor’s stories! Please post photos and memories using
#stratfordbutterflyfarm40th and location Stratford-uponAvon Butterfly Farm or email them to marketing@butterflyfarm.co.uk The best stories and images will be
featured on their website and in social media with the
winners receiving free tickets to visit again!
An exciting new exhibition within Rainforest Realm to
house a pair of ‘Sumatran Pit Vipers’ will be launched on
Friday 18 July. Butterfly Farm Education Officer, John
Withers, and members of the Education Team have designed, and rock themed this bespoke new exhibition.
The Sumatran pit viper or Trimeresurus sumatranus, is a
venomous snake native to the rainforests of Sumatra and
surrounding Southeast Asian regions. They have a striking yellow or green body; the ones at the Butterfly Farm
are yellow, with black markings, and a broad, triangular
head that helps distinguish it from non-venomous species.
This viper is arboreal, spending much of its time in trees
or shrubs, where it ambushes prey such as birds, frogs, and
small mammals. Like other pit vipers, it has heat-sensing
pits between its eyes and nostrils that help detect warmblooded prey. Its venom is hemotoxic, capable of causing
significant tissue damage, and although not typically fatal
to humans, bites require urgent medical attention. The
vipers will be on display from Saturday 19 July and will be
looked after by specialist handlers Coogan Middlebrook
and John Withers.
To see hundreds of spectacular butterflies, insects, reptiles,
and spiders visit the Butterfly Farm from 10am to 6pm,
last entry 5:30pm. Open every day of the week except
Christmas Day. For more information about the anniversary events throughout 2025 please visit the website at
www.butterflyfarm.co.uk or telephone on 01789 299288.
Clive Farrell, Director at Stratford Butterfly Farm said,
“When I built the Butterfly Farm on the council’s old
nursery site, little did I know it would take over my life.
Since then, over 2 million individual butterflies have been
on the wing in the Rainforest Flight Area, and we have
welcomed millions of visitors and children over four ini
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