Dazzling new attractions at Stratford Butterfly Farm

Several of these stunning parrot finches have now been added to the Stratford Butterfly Farm collection.

The team has released 22 Phantasmal Poison Frogs and several Parrot Finches to add to their display in time for the May half-term.

The frogs, also known as Epipedodates tricolour are a species of Poison Dart Frog which has a current International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) classification of vulnerable and decreasing.

They originate from Ecuador and are vibrantly coloured with stripes of green or yellow. In their native environment they are extremely toxic which is created by their diet – but at the Butterfly Farm they are fed a special diet, so they do not create toxins and are completely harmless.

The tricolour frogs are poisonous in Ecuador thanks to their diet - but at Stratford Butterfly Farm they have a different diet making them perfectly safe to be around!

From May 28–June 1, the venue will host its popular meet the mini-beast handling sessions as well as snake demonstrations and butterfly and beetle life cycle demonstrations daily in the discovery zone.

Visitors can take part in the sessions with the education team and hold creatures such as an African Land snail, Madagascan Hissing Cockroach, and a variety of stick insects. The beetle demonstrations will also show visitors the complete life cycle of a beetle, whilst the snake demonstrations will allow visitors to have a close look at the resident Rhinoceros rat snake or Mexican black kingsnake and to find out all about these fascinating animals. The sessions are subject to availability and are not available on bank holidays.

The farm will also be involved in National Insect Week which runs from June 20 -26 and is organised by The Royal Entomological Society to encourage people of all ages to learn more about insects.

Visitors can take part in daily demonstrations on insects, their lifecycle, and their habitats. Demonstrations will take place each afternoon in the discovery zone between 1.30pm and 2.30pm from June 20-25.

Marketing Manager Jane Kendrick said: “We have so much to see and do over the May half term. The frogs and finches are both striking in colour and really add to our display. The frogs make a beautiful chirping sound and call to each other, listen carefully and you will hear them. National Insect Week is also a great opportunity to discover how amazing and important insects are and why we need to conserve and protect them.”

For full details, click here.