The butterfly garden was designed to mimic a tropical climate and filled to the brim with as much natural foliage as the company could possibly afford. The pathways between areas were rough marble cobblestones, a stark contrast to the carefully crafted untamed wilderness but just enough of a clash to be aesthetically pleasing.
With a ceiling height of almost twenty feet and almost 240 feet squared altogether, it was one of the largest tropical climate simulators in the otherwise frigid country. It was also the only one to be split into distinct sections themed around the more notable traits of the warmer climates, most famously the rainforest area.
While the main focus was meant to be the 437 different species of butterfly that lived there, what really drew the crowds was the atmosphere, especially during the late night openings in summer when they'd do guided tours through the almost pitch black to see how the butterflies rested and check for new eggs. The torch beams would carve light rays into the thick humid mist that clung to everything and left you with a deep chill in your bones.
By day everything was draped elegantly in a vague haze of watery heat that shimmered over the water features and small wild birds that were also kept there, making everything seem just that little bit unreal. By night it felt like you were walking through a giant mouth and expecting to run into the teeth or down the throat at any moment.
What nobody asked for over thirty years was what the butterflies were being fed on. There were no fruit plates out and very few of the tropical plants were the fruit bearing kind. One species was known to have sap that certain species fed on but otherwise there was no food. The keepers made sure to tidy away their food long before opening hours and buried the remains with yet more plants.
Butterflies have been recorded to feed off of any fluid they can.
Sweat, tears, blood, urine.
They're always thirsty.
With a ceiling height of almost twenty feet and almost 240 feet squared altogether, it was one of the largest tropical climate simulators in the otherwise frigid country. It was also the only one to be split into distinct sections themed around the more notable traits of the warmer climates, most famously the rainforest area.
While the main focus was meant to be the 437 different species of butterfly that lived there, what really drew the crowds was the atmosphere, especially during the late night openings in summer when they'd do guided tours through the almost pitch black to see how the butterflies rested and check for new eggs. The torch beams would carve light rays into the thick humid mist that clung to everything and left you with a deep chill in your bones.
By day everything was draped elegantly in a vague haze of watery heat that shimmered over the water features and small wild birds that were also kept there, making everything seem just that little bit unreal. By night it felt like you were walking through a giant mouth and expecting to run into the teeth or down the throat at any moment.
What nobody asked for over thirty years was what the butterflies were being fed on. There were no fruit plates out and very few of the tropical plants were the fruit bearing kind. One species was known to have sap that certain species fed on but otherwise there was no food. The keepers made sure to tidy away their food long before opening hours and buried the remains with yet more plants.
Butterflies have been recorded to feed off of any fluid they can.
Sweat, tears, blood, urine.
They're always thirsty.
No comments:
Post a Comment