Orientarium Zoo Łódź
Meet the extraordinary species living in our butterfly house – from intensely blue morphos to giant moths with wings as large as an A4 sheet of paper.
Discover the butterflies and moths found in our butterfly house – where they come from, their wingspan and the features that make each species look and behave differently.
This species lives mainly in tropical forests. It shows pronounced sexual dimorphism, meaning that males and females differ clearly in appearance. These butterflies are active during the day.
Malachite
The species is named after malachite, a green semi-precious stone. Adult butterflies feed on nectar, rotting fruit, carrion and bat droppings.
This species shows pronounced sexual dimorphism. Adults feed on nectar and mineral salts obtained from the soil, while the caterpillars feed on herbaceous plants.
These butterflies are rarely seen during dry weather. Adult males are most active in the afternoon after rainfall, while the larvae feed on leaves.
This species inhabits the coastal forests of Kenya and Tanzania and was first described in the 19th century. Adults feed on rotting fruit, while deforestation threatens their natural habitat.
First described in the 19th century, this species feeds on plant sap, nectar and droppings. The female lays her eggs in clusters and guards them until the caterpillars hatch.
This butterfly belongs to the family Nymphalidae. Males are smaller than females. Both sexes feed on droppings, rotting fruit and flowers. The caterpillars hatch about six days after the eggs are laid on leaves.
The caterpillars feed on plants including broad beans and beans. Adults prefer rotting fruit and carrion or obtain minerals from wet mud.
These butterflies are regarded as a symbol of reincarnation. They are among the few butterflies able to fly in the rain. Instead of nectar, they feed on rotting fruit and plant sap.
This species is found mainly in tropical forests. Adults feed on juices from fruit such as bananas, mangoes and papayas. The distinctive markings on the wings resemble the eyes of a predator.
Adults feed on plant juices and decaying plant matter. The species is sometimes considered a pest on banana plantations. These butterflies can live for up to four months.
Adults feed on nectar, while the caterpillars feed on plants including banana plants. It is one of the larger species presented in our butterfly house.
Glasswing butterfly
The transparent sections of its wings have given this species the name glasswing butterfly. It can lift up to forty times its own body weight. Males migrate in search of females, and compounds obtained from poisonous plants make these butterflies unpalatable to predators.
African moon moth
This nocturnal African species is also known as the African moon moth and was first described in the 19th century. Adults do not feed because they lack functional mouthparts, while the caterpillars feed on balsa trees.
It is the third-largest moth in the world, with a wingspan comparable to an A4 sheet of paper. Adults live for only a few days because they do not have a fully developed digestive system. A male can detect a female’s pheromones from as far as five kilometres away.
This species belongs to the swallowtail family. Adults feed on carrion, droppings and mineral salts obtained from the soil, while the caterpillars feed on citrus plants.
This is one of the few butterflies with a distinctly green colour. It is sometimes called the moon butterfly because its colouring resembles the night sky. Adults feed on nectar, while the caterpillars feed on citrus plants.
The colours of their wings, their flight and their behaviour are best observed in the tropical surroundings of our butterfly house.
Holding LODZ
94-303 Łódź, Konstantynowska 8/10 street
e-mail: bok@zoo.lodz.pl
working hours: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
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