Costa Rica is a famous destination for birdwatching, but it is also a place where you can get see over 1,500 different species of butterflies and 12,000 species of moths, here you can actually find 90% of all the different species existent in Central America, and about a 16% of the varieties existent in the world.

One of the most famous butterflies that you can spot in Costa Rica include the Morpho Menelaus wich has beautiful bright blue wings edged with black; the Greta Oto, commonly known as glasswing butterfly for its transparent wings; the Philaethria Dido which is easy to spot with its black patterned green wings; the Caligo, the largest in Costa Rica, known for their huge eyespots which resemble owls’ eyes, to mention just a few.

There are several butterfly farms in Costa Rica where you can enjoy seeing this colorful insects and learn all about their lifecycle and peculiarities.

Butterfly Kingdom: Located in San Rafael, Escazu, Butterfly Kingdom aims to offer an educational experience regarding not just the lifecycle of these wonderful insects but also the importance of the conservation of nature and reforestation as well as the recreation of habitats for butterflies. Butterfly Kingdom is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Butterfly Farm at the La Paz Waterfall Gardens: This is probably one of the most popular and visited butterfly farms in Costa Rica. The butterfly observatory was built with glass and acrylic allowing guests to admire the butterflies without having to worry about the changing weather. Enjoy watching the multicolored insects as they fly from one flower to the next, occasionally posing over you for a great photo. Guests of the Peace Lodge will be offered a special opportunity: the chance to work in the Butterfly Farm by collecting eggs, caterpillars and host plants. Internships are also available for students in Costa Rica and abroad.

Butterfly Conservatory: This project contains the largest exhibition of butterflies in Costa Rica, the tours offered provide an educational experience not only regarding butterflies but also frogs, plants and other insects.