Tag Archives: Farm

Butterfly Gardening

Stratford upon Avon Butterfly Farm

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If you are interested in entomology(the study of insects) then a visit to one of Stratford’s premier tourist attractions is a must.

The Farm is located just five minutes walk from the town centre opposite the Royal Shakespeare Theatre and is signposted all the way to the entrance.

Once inside the farm there are a whole host of butterflies and insects to see and explore with different sections dedicated to individual insects. You will marvel at the hundreds of exotic butterflies flying around from all over the world and feeding in a spectacular tropical environment.

The area is known as the Flight Area and is a landscaped tropical greenhouse (largest in the UK!) together with waterfalls and fish filled pools and houses some 250 different species of butterfly from 20 different countries.

Or you may want to visit the “Insect City” as it is known where you will find beetles stick insects and leaf cutting ants to name just a few of the creepy crawlies on show all respectively safely housed behind glass.

For those who are a bit braver then a visit to the “Arachnoland” will be worth the wait as you will be able to see the worlds largest spider plus a scorpion colony and a total of 15 different other spiders from Tarantulas to the tiny Black Widow.

The largest spider on show here is the Goliath Bird Eating Tarantula with leg span of 25cm!

Finally a visit to the “Caterpilar room” must be taken it is here you can view the life cycle of a butterfly from its cocoon stage through to transformation into a butterfly. In fact at the Emerging cage as it is known you can actually see butterflies emerging from there Chrysalis or pupae stage into full butterflies for the first time.

To add to this there is also a British Butterfly Garden you can visit at the moment this garden is under a new landscaping project but once completed the garden will contain the top listed 10 butterfly nectar plants that should attract butterflies to the area. After all this there is also a gift shop with hundreds of gifts available to buy all in all a visit to the Stratford upon AvonButterfly Farm is a fascinating and worthwhile experience whether you are a insect lover or not.

Gardening

How To Choose Chicken Coop Building Plans

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Are you looking for building chicken coops ideas and information? There are many aspects to think about when looking at various types of chicken coop building plans, to find the one that will best suit you.

Choosing the best spot for the chicken house is important for several reasons. One of which is to protect your flock from predators, and you can do that by building the coop close to your home, so you can keep an eye on it.

Having enough room in the chicken coop is something you absolutely must have. Your hens need plenty of space. How much space you’ll need is going to be based on how many chickens you got. Generally allow 4 square feet per hen, to allow enough space for them not feel too crammed in, as it will cause a decrease in the egg production.

Some other aspects to consider when looking at how much space you’ll need is making sure you have room for a roost, a nesting box, a water container and a feeder. All these are important features that you coop will require, and should be part of your chicken coop building plan.

As you look at the layout of the coop, consider the materials you will use to build with. While people who have made these in the past will tell you to use different things, the truth is that you have many options when it comes to what you use. But remember, even though you can go with a pretty cheap material, if you want your coop to last longer, and withstand severe weather, keeping the hens warm inside, then you should go with a higher quality.

Leaving enough space for a chicken run is also important. Getting your hens to move around outside is part of chicken raising. So keep that in mind when choosing the location where you will build.

Having a comfortable place for your birds to rest, sleep, and lay eggs, is all that’s really required of a good chicken coop. It doesn’t need to be perfect, just good enough and provide these elements for the flock.

Want to learn more about building chicken coops and picking out chicken coop building plans? Stop by Sean Young’s site where you can discover more tips and ideas and pick up your FREE blueprint.