Butterfly Farm Project

Butterfly Farm Project – Stratford Butterfly Farm, a public attraction and tropical butterfly supplier, relies on cultivating healthy, nutrient-dense exotic plants to support butterfly feeding and reproduction. These tropical species require high humidity, elevated temperatures, and strong PPFD levels—conditions that are difficult to maintain year-round in the UK.

The butterfly farm’s previous grow lighting setup struggled to meet these demands. Inconsistent spectral output, suboptimal PPFD levels, and high heat output created an unstable growing environment. Light wastage, uneven distribution, and thermal hotspots led to plant stress and photodamage, while frequent system overloads increased maintenance costs and energy inefficiency.

The hostile growing environment affected the health and nutritional quality of host plants, which directly impacted butterfly reproduction. Exotic butterflies are highly sensitive to environmental imbalance—particularly in host plant vitality. Weakened or undernourished plants reduce nectar production, discourage mating, and decrease pupae success rates.

To resolve these challenges, twenty Telos 0008 fixtures were installed in an 18.55m x 8.06m greenhouse, suspended 1.3 metres above the canopy. With a 91.6° beam angle, the fixtures delivered even PPFD distribution, and a precision-engineered spectrum tuned to replicate tropical sunlight. The improved spectral balance reduced excess red wavelengths, allowing for deeper canopy penetration and preventing top-heavy growth.

By eliminating hotspots, light stress, and temperature fluctuations, Telos 0008 systems created a stable growing environment that enhanced plant development across all canopy levels. Nutrient density and nectar production significantly improved, increasing the hosting capacity of the plants and encouraging butterfly reproduction.