Have a flutter: Empuriabrava Butterfly Park
The next time the washing machine leaks all over the new stripped-pine kitchen floor or the computer crashes or it just feels like all the odds are stacked against you, consider the plight of the poor Atlas moth. After a two-week gestation period, the male caterpillar hatches and its first job is to eat the shell from which it has just emerged. It then spends all its time painstakingly weaving a silk cocoon into which it secretes itself for a magical process of metamorphosis. It finally emerges four weeks later as a beautiful Lepidoptera Attacus Atlas with a spectacular wingspan of up to 25 centimetres. Sadly, such is its feeble power-to-weight ratio that it can barely fly and so is forced to flap around limply in search of a female. If successful, it mates continuously for 24 hours, which doesn’t sound so bad; however, exhausted by its efforts, it then spends its remaining three days of life utterly inert. The Atlas Moth has neither mouth nor intestines, and when its energy reserves run dry, it ignominiously falls off its perch and dies of starvation.
The short life of the Atlas moth is just one of the wonders of nature to be discovered at the Empuriabrava Butterfly Park, 1,000 square metres of man-made tropical rainforest on the outskirts of Castelló d’Empúries on the Costa Brava. In fact, the park’s name is somewhat of a misnomer; this year they extended the site, building an aviary that now houses over 25 species of tropical birds. Within the aviary the birds are allowed to fly freely around the visitors, so it’s best to come prepared for plenty of ducking and diving (which for most people will be part of the fun, though some might find it a touch disconcerting).
The park, which attracts over 25,000 visitors each year, was opened in 1999 by Bob Genesse, a Belgian entrepreneur who runs the centre with a staff of four. The site was originally farmland, and it took Genesse over six years of repeated applications to obtain planning permission to change its use.
Genesse’s desire to open the park was not just the result of a passion for butterflies, as he explained: “I’ve always enjoyed travelling to tropical climates and had an interest in tropical plants. This work gives me the opportunity to visit Africa, South America, Asia and Australia in search of different species. Butterflies have relatively short lives, so we have to restock regularly. And with over 20,000 species to choose from, there’s plenty of scope for research trips during our closed period from January to March.”
It is clear that all the staff at the park are as well informed as Genesse himself. Biologist Elena Escribano has worked at the park for over five years and she has an evident enthusiasm for her subject. “Butterflies are amazing creatures,” she explained. “Each species has its own type of vegetation to feed on, and they each find a unique place to lay their eggs. Butterfly colourings are either pigmented in the wing fibre itself or are discerned by light refraction. Their colouring is used for attracting mates, for warning predators (birds, frogs and spiders) or for camouflage.”
One example of this camouflage in action can be seen on the Owl butterfly, so named on account of the two large round ‘eye’ markings visible on its wings when resting. The theory is that predators are fooled into believing it is a small owl—although what the butterfly does when a predator (such as a hawk or a snake) is actually looking for a small owl, is not so clear.
Elena Escribano is equally enthusiastic about the new aviary. “We now have over 100 examples of tropical birds here at Empuriabrava, including parrots and parakeets. Some exotic birds can live up to 50 years. And we had our first parrot fledglings born in captivity here in May this year; it was a very exciting time for us.”
One or two of the tropical birds at the Empuriabrava park look at first sight to be a little worse for wear, but this is not a matter of neglect; quite the opposite in fact. A particular courtship ritual sees the male peck at the feathers around the female’s neck revealing a bare collar of skin that may look unsightly to human eyes, but in the parrot world is a clear indication of popularity.
The aviary is also home to several large iguanas, rescued from local owners for whom the task of looking after these imperious creatures had become too onerous. “When they get to their full size, they become very difficult to handle," said Escribano. "You have to watch out for their tails, which can whip around and cause a nasty injury.”
Iguanas are vegetarian and so, belying their fearsome appearance, they pose no threat to their airborne housemates. They are majestic animals—measuring up to a metre from tip to tail—and they co-exist perfectly happily with the tropical birds, some of which can be seen occasionally perching on the iguana’s backs.
Whilst some of the butterflies at Empuriabrava are bred within the Park, others that are sourced from breeding farms in tropical countries arrive there as chrysalises. Visitors can see them hanging in special display boxes, alongside moth cocoons in a state of suspended animation, pending their eventual emergence into the world. They look a little spooky, hanging upside-down like tiny bats, awaiting nightfall so they can begin their reign of terror.
One of the questions visitors always ask is, “how long do butterflies and moths live?” According to Elena Escribano, “This entirely depends on the species and its available food source. The Atlas moth lives for only four or five days, since they do not feed, but other species like the Owl butterfly, which feed on fruit, can live for up to eight weeks. The Heliconid butterfly, which feeds on pollen and nectar, can survive for up to nine months.”
And on the subject of how far they fly (another frequently asked question) Escribano explained, “Some species keep to their locality, less than a hectare, but the Monarch butterfly migrates many thousands of miles from North America to Europe. And the Painted Lady butterfly makes it all the way to the Arctic Circle from Africa.”
There is an environmental element to the way in which the Empuriabrava park is managed, which Bob Genesse explained. “The indiscriminate taking of butterflies from the wild is illegal, and of course can represent a very real threat to the species’ survival. We only source from recognised breeding centres in places like Costa Rica, for example. They release a proportion of their captivity-bred butterflies back into the tropical forests as an ongoing conservation measure.”
Finally, if you’re interested in attracting butterflies to your own garden, Genesse is happy to advise. “In Catalunya, butterflies’ natural habitats have become progressively damaged by intensive building and the use of pesticides. If gardeners use organically derived products in their cultivated areas and create a natural area for nettles and wild flowers, they’ll be amazed how soon hosts of beautiful butterflies are attracted.”
Three butterfly species at the park:
Postman butterfly - Heliconius melpomene
From Central and South America. It was given its common name by an English collector who thought their markings resembled the colours of the British Royal Mail service.
Monarch butterfly - Danaus plexippus
Allegedly named after King William of Orange, it is found in many regions of the world, with particularly high concentrations in Mexico. One of the very few insects with an energy reserve sufficient to make a transatlantic crossing.
Morph butterfly - Morpho peleides
Another South and Central American native. Notable for its stunning electric blue appearance which results from light refraction rather than pigmentation. The exact colour seen depends upon the angle from which it is viewed, and the eye-structure of the beholder (be it human or an insect/bird predator).
Practical info...
La Mugueta, Carretera Castelló a Empuriabrava, Castelló d’Empúries
Tel. 972 45 07 61
Open: late March to early November, 10am to one hour before sunset