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Bonaire 2008 Page 3

Last year, we noticed that a Butterfly Farm had opened up in Bonaire. So this year we visited it on our last full day on the island. We were the only people there when we visited. (Wouldn't want to be there when a cruise ship was on shore.)

Butterfly Farm Bonaire building with a broad puddle in the driveway and the screened butterfly enclosure behind it

I thought this sign comparing moth to butterfly antennae was very interesting.

Museum sign comparing the microscopic antennae of a butterfly and a moth

The display had a path starting at one door, going around the edges of a Koi Pond, and then existing a 2nd door. The doors were double-layered, to prevent any escaping butterflies. Here is Paul at the far end of the pond, and then in the corner near the end door.

Man standing at the far end of the butterfly enclosure beside lush plants and the koi pond

Man bending over with a camera in a leafy corner of the butterfly enclosure near the end door

Butterflies are generally uncooperative photo subjects. However, a few were more photogenic than others.

Orange-brown butterfly resting with its wings spread on a bright green leaf

Black butterfly with orange patches and white spots resting on a plant above pale gravel

Two butterflies near a flowering stem, one perched with wings closed and another blurred in flight

Brown-and-cream striped butterfly perched with its wings spread on a curved green stem

These next two pictures are the same species. It is a fairly flashy butterfly with it's wings spread, but difficult to notice with them closed, and against a plant.

Green butterfly with translucent wing patches resting on a leaf in bright sunlight

Same green butterfly viewed with its wings closed while feeding among glossy leaves and pale blossoms

This butterfly was particularly sociable.

Man smiling with a black butterfly marked by two bright orange spots perched on his forehead

There was a splashy blue butterfly that was particularly difficult to photograph. This series of 3 pictures will give you a feel for it. The 1st one is with the wings closed, feeding on an orange slice. The next picture shows the bright blue of the butterfly in flight. And the 3rd picture gives an idea of what the wings looked like; this particular specimen had a bit of a tough life and lost the ends of it's wings.

Blue butterfly feeding on an orange slice with its wings closed

Blurred bright blue butterfly in flight above gravel and low green plants

Large blue butterfly with worn wing tips resting with its wings fully spread against the enclosure mesh

Blue seems to be a color particularly dependent on the angle of sunlight. These next two pictures are of the same butterfly, but you can't even see the blue in the wings in the 2nd picture.

Dark butterfly with iridescent blue wings and white patches perched on a tall green stem

Same butterfly from a different angle, appearing much darker with the blue nearly invisible

A few more pictures of the facility.

White tropical flower with ruffled petals blooming among glossy green leaves

Man standing beside the koi pond inside the butterfly enclosure surrounded by dense tropical plants

Woman standing beside the koi pond inside the butterfly enclosure with palms and tropical plants around her

And I will leave you with two birds: a lovely pelican, and a frigate bird.

Brown pelican perched on the bow of a small white boat floating in turquoise water

Frigatebird perched on a weathered wooden post against a pale sky

Updated March 2026