1^st Annual Emerald Valley Butterfly Festival

January 10-12, 2020 Lake Yojoa, Honduras

Honduras boasts a rich assortment of butterflies and to date nearly 1,200 species have been documented across its rich and varied landscapes. One site in particular, Emerald Valley, has proven to harbor one of the most diverse assemblages found not only in Honduras, but also across the region. An amazing 600 species have been documented on its 35 acres of rainforest and include the country’s second endemic butterfly as well as many others that are rare across their respective ranges. The property also has over 150 species of birds including three types of toucans, chachalacas, oropendolas, tinamou, motmots and many more.

Each January, amidst Emerald Valley’s tended butterfly gardens, the Blue Mistflower or Crucita shrubs (Chromolaena odorata) come into bloom. This annual phenomenon attracts clouds of butterflies from all six families and is the only native flower in the region that has this dramatic effect. Species are drawn in to its sweet aroma and descend from the rainforest canopy, leave the forest interior or lure ones that are just passing through. No less than twenty country records have been recorded to date on these flowers.   

Festival

The 2020 festival will mark the first of its kind not only in Honduras, but in Central America as well, and as the Mistflower gardens grow in size we predict the amount of sheer numbers and species will also increase. The additional lantanas, porterweed, zinnias, other flowers and banana baits in the gardens also attract additional butterfly species.

Contest

Not only will there be a butterfly photography contest, but each participant will also have the chance to potentially contribute photos to future book “Guide to the Butterflies of Honduras.” Be sure to take part in what will likely become one of the most talked about butterfly festivals in the years to come.   

Sponsor

This event is sponsored by the Pro Nature Honduras Foundation (Pro-HN). For more information about the Butterfly Festival and registration please see their website: www.prohn.org

Documents

For more information please download the following documents

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