When does the flying butterfly read written on its wings? - Neruda
A spectacle so simple and exquisite, the one we give ourselves when we stop to observe the flight or the calm of a butterfly resting on a leaf. That is the same painting that inspired verses by Borges, Neruda and Lorca, which draws attention to the edges or inspires stories and movements of change. And it is that this insect, with that variety of colors and sizes has a fragile beauty that captivates anyone.
Walking through a garden full of butterflies should be a universal right or at least a requirement that we must all fulfill at least once in our lives. Seeing a butterfly garden and observing the variety of butterflies and their life cycles has become a very attractive and important activity in World Tourism.
In Hotel Punta Leona we have our peace garden. Every day from 6:00 a.m. and until 2:00 pm guests can visit the garden, take pictures or just sit and watch the beautiful butterflies. The Punta Leona Garden is full of species that our guides have collected responsibly, from the forests of Punta Leona.
An eco-sustainable opportunity
In Costa Rica you can find butterfly farm throughout the country. The butterflies are different by ecological areas but they all have in common the beauty of the Morpho butterfly, the Owl, the spectacular Crystal Butterfly and other subspecies.
Costa Rica is home to 90% of all butterfly species in Central America, 66% in the neotropics and 18% of all species on the planet. To get a clearer idea are more than 12000 night species (moths) and 15000 daytime (butterfly) species.
How far do Costa Rican Butterflies go?
The majority go to the United States, but some arrive in Frankfurt and from there to several German cities, others go to Mexico, Canada, Turkey or the United Arab Emirates.
And it's not that they go on vacation or fly on their own like the monarch butterflies of North America, it's a green industry of Costa Rica that exports chrysalises so that they reach the gardens of the world at just the right time to exit their cocoon.
In Costa Rica for more than 25 years, families from different parts of the country have developed the production of butterflies as an economic activity, hand in hand with environmental conservation and the education of new generations.
Butterfly producers are usually from rural areas, led by women. It is a delicate task that requires attention and patience and includes;
- The selection and cultivation of hostplants.
- Collection of eggs.
- Caterpillar care.
- Manipulation of chrysalises.
They are tasks perfectly suited for women who have been able to take advantage of this market for a home based income.
Costa Rica has about 400 butterfly gardens specializing in the species from their area. Some of the largest are in charge of direct export, while others use intermediaries who have contracts with gardens and parks around the world.
Each week, 50,000 pupae or chrysalises are exported, in economic terms we are talking about a $1.8 million dollar a year business. Although for the global economy, the figure perishes insignificant, it is enough for small family businesses to emerge and offer a better quality of life for these rural farm families.
Hand in hand with economic development is the environmental factor. Since caring for butterflies is taking care of the environment, one cannot exist without the other. The different life cycles of the Butterfly are dependent on the plants and flowers of Costa
So join us in Punta Leona and experience first hand the life of our beautiful butterflies.
