Angkor Butterfly Centre (ABC) opened its net on October 1st allowing visitors to interact with hundreds of free-flying native butterflies. Located 25km north of Siem Reap, on the road to Banteay Srei temple, ABC is set within a netted tropical garden and will feature some of the world’s largest butterflies. Including, the Atlas Moth with a wing-span of 26cm (11in) and the exotic Birdwing butterfly – that resembles more of a delicate bird then an insect.

Interacting with more then 30 of Cambodia’s 400 species of butterflies, visitors can discover the miracle of insect life. Witnessing first-hand the complete lifecycle of the butterfly, from the tiny eggs to shocking caterpillars, mysterious pupae and finally the delicate adult butterfly.

However, underneath all of this fluttering beauty is a core community development project working with the local community to farm butterflies for the enclosure, helping to alleviate poverty. All of the butterflies within the ABC have been farmed within communities around Bantaey Srei and Phnom Kulen. Members of the community have been trained by professionals to farm the pupae sustainably without exploiting the natural population of butterflies – while earning a steady income from the preservation of these insects.

To visit the Angkor Butterfly Centre contact: [email protected]