Butterfly Gardens

Dilmah Conservation’s urban open-air Butterfly Garden is the first of its kind in Sri Lanka. Since its construction in October 2011, it has provided a safe haven for a growing list of butterfly species. Through the butterfly garden Dilmah Conservation also conducts numerous education and awareness programmes.

The Dilmah Conservation butterfly garden is open to the public every Wednesday between 9:00 am and 4:30 pm. Special educational programmes are conducted for groups on other days upon request.

Schedule an educational visit to the Butterfly Garden, (located in the same premise as the Dilmah Conservation One Earth Centre Moratuwa), please contact a Dilmah Conservation team member.

Distribution

Learn more about butterflies

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Education & Awareness Programmes

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Common Butterflies of Sri Lanka: Field Guide

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Let’s Talk Butterflies: Video Series

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Currently 58 of the 248 species of butterflies observed in Sri Lanka have been sighted within the gardens.
Over the years the Dilmah Conservation butterfly garden, although relatively small (750m²), has attracted hundreds of butterflies and proved to be an excellent conservation tool.
Butterflies are picky egg-layers & exclusive in their host-plant choices.

The Garden houses a variety of host & nectar plants to accommodate their needs.

Particular attention was paid to attracting threatened or endangered species.

Milestone

2011

  • Established the Butterfly Garden at the One Earth Centre Moratuwa

2018

  • Identified 9 new species of butterfly within the butterfly garden
  • Common Albatross (Appias albina), Three Spot Grass Yellow (Eurema blanda), Common Bushbrown (Mycalesis perseus), Tiny Grass Blue (Zizula hylax), Dark Grass Blue (Zizeeria karsandra), Plains Cupid (Chilades pandava), Gram Blue (Euchrysops cnejus), Indian Palm Bob (Suastus gremius), and Tricolor Pied Flat (Coladenia indrani)
  • Common Butterflies of Sri Lanka was published
  • Helped establish butterfly gardens at Royal College, St. Thomas’ College, Lady Ridgeway Hospital, and Dilmah’s Cape Weligama Resort in Sri Lanka

2021

  • Launched and completed the Let’s Talk Butterflies Series
  • 2011
  • 2018
  • 2021