Butterfly Farm

Today we visited the largest exporter of butterflies in Costa Rica, which has been in business for 20 years.  At first thought, I had no idea how or why butterflies could make a successful business but after our visit it became clear.  It is truly amazing how complex a butterflies life cycle is and how they can provide a wonderful reminder of the value of life, as many of us tend to forget the importance of our surroundings.

To begin with, a butterflies main purpose is to help its own particular species thrive.  At the Butterfly Farm there were 35 different species.  Each species feeds on different plants, so the butterfly sanctuary has an extremely wide variety of bright colorful plants, as butterflies only see in three colors, which are red, yellow, and green.  In addition, butterflies use ultraviolet vision and smell to help find mates up to 2 kilometers away!

The males must impress the females because the females choose their mate, which is to ensure strong offspring. The females will lay approximately 100 eggs with only about 2 eggs surviving and becoming adults.  As a means of defense, the females lay their eggs in groups of 20-30. The eggs are placed on “host plants” that are carefully picked out by each species.

The “host plants” provide protection and nutrition as the eggs transform into incredibly small caterpillars into just a few days.  The caterpillars devour large plants, as they build up strength for the pupa stage.  A caterpillar will eat, or recycle, its’ own skin to produce silk which is wrapped around itself as it  becomes a pupa, which is similar to a cocoon.  It is at this pupa stage, also called crystalis stage, that it is exported to various countries, such as the USA, Canada, South Africa, Europe, Singapore and Australia.  Each pupa is carefully packaged and sent the same day and is individually sold for around $2.25 per pupa (before the shipping and handling).  The importing countries will take the pupas to different zoos, museums, and butterfly exhibits and the pupa hatches into a beautiful butterfly as it completes the cycle of life.

In summary, the reason butterflies are valued so high is to simply celebrate life and our surroundings.  Our hostess for the day further explained the relationship of life and our ecosystem by referencing a Shaman, or a medicine man, in the rain forest.  She explained that as humans further become obsessed with technology and industry, we neglect the value of our natural resources until there are no more.  In her example, a lot of plants have natural healing abilities yet humans are too quick to deplete/destroy the very resources that can cure certain illnesses. It is the wisdom of the Shaman that explains why butterflies are so valuable, and are a perfect symbol that life is extremely fragile and should be celebrated.