Butterfly Garden, At Changi Airport

As if finding an Orchid Garden inside Terminal 1 (T1) was not enough, here I was.., next amazed by an awesome Butterfly Garden at Changi Airport's Terminal 3 (T3). It spans two floors, entrance at Level 3.

Touted as the world's first butterfly garden in an airport, this is even bigger, wider with more extensive collection of live butterflies than I've seen in the forests of Bohol, Baguio, Puerto Princesa or Tagaytay.

Well, Jumalon Butterfly Sanctuary is probably also smaller (it's only a backyard in Basak Pardo), but I think I saw and learned more in that sanctuary - esp the 'preserved' ones (I forgot how they're called).

In any case, this is just an airport waiting area. Ano ba ang meron sa airports natin, di ba?

Upon entry, I already saw butterflies either fluttering-by or resting among plants, flowers or trees..,

Note where the roof is. Remember, this is 3rd level of the airport building - transit area is at 2nd level.

Being in a building, and an airport at that, I thought I would see mostly-preserved dead insects (pinned unto picture frames) - just like at the Jumalon Residence, arranged museum-style on shelves, walls, or drawers. Even if so, I can't say I won't like them for they are easier to see, kesa yung nag-lililipad di ba?

But lo and behold, I entered to see a 'real forest' complete with imported live flora, and this pond..,

Look at the arrows I placed on the picture. First, the red arrow at left. It points to a coconut floating on the pond. Yes, your lowly niyog, lubi, kelapa, มะพร้าว, 椰子)! Seeing that, I isntinctively looked up, just to see if there was a real coconut tree that it could have fallen from. Ah, wala naman pala puno ng niyog!

I realized they just put that real coconut on the water. I am not even sure now if it's a whole coconut or just the top portion of one. But I'm sure it's a real fruit. Napaka-realistic kasi, pati yun mga bato, tunay!

The blue arrow in the middle, points to a real plant with white flowers. There was a 'bright red' butterfly when I aimed, not sure if it's in the pic o baka lumipad! The green arrow points to ground/tarmac level.

These colorful tiny flowers are "Egyptian Star Cluster" native to the Arabian Peninsula and East Africa.

There was also an orange colored butterfly with black or brown 'piping', but it flew just as I clicked that shot. I am not joking. Hindi pala ganun kadali,  taking photos of flying objects with just your cellphone!

Anyway, when I looked back at where I came from (white door frame behind the bush), I saw this..,

Pretty much the top of this airport building's 3rd floor, and they really built a pond at this height? Woa!

So I was standing on top of the stairs. That pond actually cascades as a waterfall down to 2nd level!

I think that would be about 20 feet down. Ibang klase ito! Kung maka-waterfalls, wagas. Sa airport nyo ano'ng meron? Tulo galing sa bubong?! Ah don't despair, waterfall pa rin yan - as in water falling pa rin!

Here here.., as I went down the stairs.., note that every plant or tree you see is alive. Totoong tunay!

Those little shacks at left are their breeding rooms (display area too), like a caterpillar farm or nursery.

So puro ganitong kwento na lang? All "story-telling-a-lie" lang, walang paru-paru pictures, ganun? Teka!

Relaaak! Chill ka lang. Dadating tayo dyaaan! I had to device an 'approach' to make tangible memories of this butterfly garden! Mahirap mag-picture with just a phone. I could not shoot videos, mahurot ang memory sa phone (walang SD Card ang Galaxy Note 5 eh). So, I decided to 'chase' only the unfamiliar!

Unfamiliar (to me) meaning I do not commonly see them in our inangbayan. Like these two. Kita ba?

Well I'm not a butterfly fan, but I believe I have not seen these in the Philippines (yet). Eto sila o..,

Not sure what they are called, but I guess they looked similar to one of those in the description boards that said "lacewing". I'm not sure if they're one and the same species, magkaiba lang color nila eh! But they look similar in shape and pattern. Sorry if I'm using wrong descriptives like 'pattern' hehe. Does it apply? But their batik-like colors arrested my attention. They remind me of Indonesia and/or Malaysia.

This one was resting on the glass wall. Marunong nga ba manalamin ang paru-parung bukid?!

In the blurred background are an arrangement of live stages (eggs, larvae, chrysalis, pupae etc). They were all colored gold and shiny. Maybe the young of this adult that also looks generally gold. Bulawan!

I caught this one from its underside. Maybe that's why it didn't fly away since it could not see me!

Sa totoo lang, many times I felt awkward trying to photograph these butterflies. Ang hirap nila sundan. There were times naka-hangad ako, arms raised. At other times I was like stealthily creeping crawling!

It probably is no wonder I have not seen extensive documentaries about butterflies on TV. I mean, not the migration, but the real day-to-day life of a butterfly and up close. Yung sa bubuyog meron na di ba?

Here are more (encircled in yellow).., these arranged flowers on trays, by the way, are also real ones..,

One of the curators (caretakers?) told me that those cut and arranged flowers are actually feeders, for butterflies' easy access to food (nectar), at the same time easily viewable by us people. Ang husay ah!

I noticed, when they visit these arranged flowers or fruits, they become oblivious to nearby people...

Their little brains probably say "bahala kayo dyan basta kakain ako, ang sarap nito eh". Nababangag?

I noticed too, the bigger adults or older ones (if I can call them that) are the least actively mobile..,

I mean they're not so restlessly fluttering from anywhere to everywhere, thus, easier to photograph!

Being already adults however, some have their wings already deformed with this and that missing..,

And it is somehow heartbreaking to learn that most butterfly species live only for 2 to 3 weeks. I'm not sure about these butterflies here, since, I think, they don't have natural predators (lizards, birds, etc) in this garden. May be a few more days longer? Hey, trivia: 'the larger butterflies are, the longer they live'!

Like many animals, butterflies also have their own tactics to hide from predators AND photographers!

"Camouflage" or blending-in with the surroundings is one of their techniques/abilities to hide from you camera-toting tourists, who they think wants to eat them. Now, can you see 5 of them in that picture?!

When they're at play (mating, trying to mate) though, they're easy to see as they keep flying around..,

If I did not place that yellow arrow, would you have spotted them? Those are two butterflies mating!

My fool-proof suggestion is: if you find it hard chasing after butterflies just to take pictures of them..,

Just stand near the trays with arranged flowers or fruits. The butterflies will visit soonest. Be patient!

Yet, it's also quite fun just romping around this butterfly garden, seeing them fly from flower to flower.

Hmm, bakit sa baba ka nakatingin? Sa taas ang paruparu! Umayos ka, wala ka sa Alibangbang Cubao!

Did you know that the Visayan word for 'Butterfly' is "Alibangbang"? Whether it be Ilonggo, Cebuano or Waray-waray, we call it Alibangbang - every region has its own children's song about the Alibangbang! That is the "kupu-kupu" or "kukupu" in Indonesia, and (I think) "rama-rama" in most parts of Malaysia!

Alright, I went out of the Butterfly Garden, and this is just outside the exit door (at 2nd level)..,

If you notice, that wall at right (where the man waits for his children to come out).., is actually the first picture at the top of this article. Plus, behind me as I took this picture.., was another... Smoking Room!


A wonderful place!

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