Butterfly Safari in Bordano (Udine)

The lovely town of Bordano (Udine) will see its yearly Butterfly Safari on June 23, 2013.

Tucked into the foothills of the Carnian Alps in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region, the town of Bordano is world famous for its butterflies. The microclimate of nearby Mountain San Simeone, with its secluded position between Lake Cavazzo and valle del Tagliamento, has attracted over 650 native species of butterflies (500 of which are nocturnal). Scholars from all over the world have come to Bordano to study this particular biotope and its rich entomological fauna.

During the Butterfly Safari, organized by the Casa delle Farfalle (Butterfly House) entomologists will accompany visitors along the paths on the slopes of Mountain San Simeone to observe the butterflies in their natural habitat.

The “Bordano Butterfly House” (Casa delle Farfalle) is the largest tropical butterfly garden in Europe, with three greenhouses, covering about 1000 square meters with over 1500 species of free flying butterflies from Africa, the Amazon rainforest and Oceania, 400 of which are bred on the premises. Apart from butterflies, visitors can see colorful birds, funny frogs, strange fish and chameleons, among other exotic animals. There is also currently a Gioielli a 6 zampe exhibition, with beautifully colored, gem-like, insects.

Another tribute paid to Bordano’s icon are the murals depicting butterflies adorning the streets of the little town.

Photos by Alessandro Laporta

Further info: Casa delle Farfalle