Big butterfly fever at Tropical World this summer

The popular indoor zoo promises a bountiful supply of butterflies in their Butterfly House, with visitors then encouraged to stroll down to Roundhay Park’s wildflower meadow to explore the creatures found there.

To celebrate taking part in the Big Butterfly Count, Tropical World has extended their butterfly collection to include some new species. After picking up a Butterfly Spotter Sheet, visitors can identify the different exotic species whilst wandering through the mangroves.

A launch event for this year’s count will take place at Tropical World in partnership with the Butterfly Conservation, with family friendly activities happening on 13 and 14 July. Children will be able to make their own butterfly feeder and enjoy face painting and colouring. There will also be plenty of themed food on offer in the café.

The attraction will be hosting animal keeper talks daily at 2pm throughout the summer holidays, where visitors can learn about the different types of butterflies and their life cycle.

As a UK-wide survey, The Big Butterfly Count helps assess the health of our environment by counting the number of butterflies you spot in a 15-minute slot. This year’s event begins on Friday 12 July and runs until 4 August.

Last year’s Butterfly Count showed that butterflies were doing better than the previous four years of counts, but that their habitats are still under threat.

The wildflower meadow in Roundhay Park is only a short walk away from Tropical World, and perfect for taking part in the nationwide count. Anyone wanting to join can pick up a free Butterfly Conservation ID chart at Tropical World and then sit by the meadow for 15 minutes, noting down any species they see.

New for this summer is the Roundhay Park sculpture trail which takes you from the entrance on Park Lane through the woods to the wildflower meadow by the Castle Folly. Made up of eight beautifully carved felled beech trees, each piece represents the animals and wildlife present in the park, including deer, foxes, owls, squirrels, swans and the butterflies and flowers in the meadow. The sculptures have been created by local artist Shane Green who specialises in chainsaw carving.

Councillor Mohammed Rafique, Leeds City Council’s executive member for climate, energy, environment and green space, said: “This summer promises to be a great one at Tropical World, with lots to learn about butterflies. The Big Butterfly Count is a wonderful initiative, and I would encourage anyone who has the time to take part in it. Not only will it help us assess the butterfly habitats in the UK, but it is also a very peaceful summer activity.

“When you are in Roundhay Park, be sure not to miss the new sculpture trail, I’m very impressed by the wood carved artworks and they make a wonderful addition to the park.”

Read more about the activities at https://tropicalworld.leeds.gov.uk/.