Celebrating 40 Years of Butterflies! 1985-2025
2025 marks a very special milestone for Stratford-upon-Avon Butterfly Farm as we are proudly celebrating 40 years since we opened our gates to visitors for the first time on the 24th of July 1985.
Clive Farrell’s idea for the Butterfly Farm was inspired by a passion for conservation and a desire to educate people about the importance of butterflies and other invertebrates in our ecosystems.
From the very beginning, the aim was to create a tropical paradise where visitors could walk among free-flying butterflies from all over the world, while learning about their life cycles, habitats, and vital ecological roles.
David Bellamy OBE, Clive Farrell, Sir David Attenborough
It was one of the first walk through experiences in the UK. A bold concept that inspired visitors from the outset.
Stratford-upon-Avon Butterfly Farm was opened by David Bellamy OBE, on the 24th of July 1984 to beautiful music by a local classical flautist.
There were fairy winged ballet dancers, flitting like butterflies in the Flight Area!
The ceremony was attended by dignitaries including Miriam Rothschild; the Rothschilds being a very famous family of entomologists!
Co-founder Gareth Ireland with David Bellamy OBE
Clive's business partner Gareth Ireland researched the site for the butterfly farm structure; the old Stratford-upon-Avon plant nursery.
The nursery site was cleared in March 1985.
The Old Stratford-upon-Avon Nursery site
The main Flight Area was designed in parts by James Gardner, architect of the stone ruins; and by Gordon Leadbetter, a wonderful landscape architect who landscaped the flights with his team.
Insect City and Arachnoland were designed by Gareth Ireland and were filled with specially landscaped displays, some of which survive today, to house spiders, scorpions, and stick insects from around the world.
Over the years there have been many changes. The Caterpillar Room is now the Discovery Zone and Arachnoland and Insect City have become Minibeast Metropolis and Rainforest Realm.
However the heart of the Butterfly Farm remains the same, the beautiful rainforest Flight Area. A specially landscaped tropical oasis where visitors can see hundreds of colourful butterflies and walk among them all year round.
Thank you to everyone that has been part of the Butterfly Farm story, and stay tuned for the next exciting chapter.
