After a training and learning period you will work as a guide at the butterfly gardens. You are expected to give 1 to 4 tours a day. Furthermore you are requested to help at reception and perform general maintenance of the facility . Work hours range from 8:30 in the morning, to 5:30 in the evening, at the latest, 6 days a week. During the tours you are encouraged to handle insects (though it is not absolutely required) and express enthusiasm for your subject. The tours last approximately 1.5 hours. In the gardens the maximum is 10 visitors at a time. During working hours no uniform is required, but respectable attire is necessary.

Organization

The Butterfly garden  was founded in 1989 by a biologist couple with the aim of inspiring and educating visitors about the vast array of butterflies and insects native to Costa Rica. They have been hand-raising butterflies and other insects for the past sixteen years and have a wealth of experience and knowledge about these fragile creatures. All the butterflies in the garden are bred on the premises, unlike most gardens which buy in their chrysalides. They believe in hands-on education. The biodiversity center displays a variety of  local insects and arachnids local, many of them live, allowing visitors an up-close and personal experience, as well as information about breeding, feeding and habitats, live bug cams, and a case for viewing butterflies as they emerge from their chrysalides. Each of the four butterfly gardens represents a different Costa Rican habitat according to temperature, altitude and vegetation, ranging from hot lowlands to mid-elevation forest-edge to higher altitude cloud forest. The gardens contain more than fifty species in total, including the unique Calico butterfly, the only butterfly in the world to produce sound; the stunning Blue Morpho, as well as transparent and barely visible Glass-Wings and unusual striped Zebra-Wings. The medicinal plant garden is a self-guided tour of more than seventy plants used medicinally throughout the world. An information sheet lists their many different and often surprising uses

Required skills and attitude

• Perfect knowledge of the English language
• Basic knowledge of Spanish
• Hands-on mentality
• Good guide skills
• Flexible
• Enthusiastic

Accommodation and facilities

Accommodation is provided on site up to 3 persons. There are 2 single rooms and a bed in the communal kitchen. Lunch is prepared by employees, breakfast and evening meals are volunteers’ responsibility. Volunteers have access to a communal kitchen. All food is provided and can be prepared on your own or with other volunteers.

Period

The garden is open 365 days a year, from 9.30am to 4.00pm. The gardens are weather-proofed but butterflies are most active when it is sunny so the best time to come and watch them is between 10am and 3pm. They run a year-round volunteer program. Volunteers must commit to stay a minimum of two months and are expected to work up to full days, six days a week. Volunteers will be trained to lead tours as well as work on reception and perform general maintenance tasks. During tours they will normally be expected to handle the insects and express enthusiasm for their subject – this is not a job for arachnophobia!