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Minibeast Metropolis

Minibeast Metropolis is teeming with life and houses one of the largest invertebrate collections in the UK. It is also home to snakes, reptiles and amphibians. Come and see these fascinating creatures up close!
  • Giant Prickly Stick InsectGiant Prickly Stick Insect
The Latest News from Minibeast Metropolis
New arrivals in the Metropolis!

At Stratford-upon-Avon Butterfly Farm we regularly change the exhibits to make things different for  returning visitors. There are a variety of species that we keep off show so that we can vary and rotate our displays.

Latest Arrival in Minibeast Metropolis!

Orchid Mantis

Hymenopus coronatus

  • Orchid MantisOrchid Mantis

Orchid Mantis are native to the tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia.

These mantises are specifically adapted to camouflage themselves on orchid flowers where they prey on flying insects looking to feed on the flower’s nectar.

Females are much bigger than the males and are highly cannibalistic. The females sometimes eat the smaller males, especially when they come together to mate!

Conservation Status - NE Not Evaluated

 

Please find below some of the other creatures currently on display in Minibeast Metropolis!

Giant Leaf Insect

Phyllium giganteum

  • Giant Leaf InsectGiant Leaf Insect

These spectacular leaf like insect originate from the rainforests of Malaysia and can grow to over 10cms in length.

They are so good at looking like leaves that they often nibble each other by mistake!

All of our leaf insects are females. The males of this species are so rare that the females have developed the ability to reproduce without them.

Conservation Status - NE Not Evaluated

Dyeing Poison Arrow Frogs!

Dendrobates tinctorius matecho

  • Dying Poison Arrow FrogDying Poison Arrow Frog

These little frogs originate from French Guiana and get their name from the misconception that natives used to use the brightly coloured frogs to dye fabric.

They are a bold, vibrant frog, yellow on the back and blue on the legs and can grow up to two inches long, making it one of the largest species of poison frogs. True to their name, poison frogs are among the most toxic animals on Earth!

Conservation Status - LC Least Concern.

Axolotl

Ambystoma mexicanum

  • AxolotlAxolotl

Axolotls are found only in two small lakes near Mexico City.

Axolotls are a type of salamander that does not fully develop into an adult form and retains juvenille features such as external gills and a large flat tail.

Whislt they are critically endangered in the wild they are common palce in animal collections due to them being easy to breed in captivity.

They are ambush predators that lie in wait for small invertabrates to swim past and then strike with great speed. Axolotls are typically brown, but a variety of colours and patterns do occur in the wild.

Conservation status - CR Critically Endangered