Mariposario in Jocotepec Field Trip - Saturday August 31st, 2024

Our Growers Group decided to take a field trip to the Mariposario (butterfly nursery) in Jocotepec.  The Mariposario is the large black netted structure in the the background in the photo below.  The Mariposario is an independently funded project supported by BioTu.  The mission of BioTU is to facilitate the transition to a sustainable Mexico, where the current consumption of resources does not compromise the needs of future generations. Our vision is to assist citizens to become informed about the environmental challenges being confronted in order to collaborate in creating solutions in sustainability and renewable energy for their communities.

Our primary guide that day was Eva Asher (in the cool rain boots, center).  Eva is bilingual and she and her team are based lakeside and tend to and work at the Mariposario location.  The Mariposario is housed on the grounds of the local, public high school, CETAC - Centro de Estudios Tecnológicos en Aguas Continentales.

BioTu's Logo

BioTu's Sponsors

BioTu's Van

Bamboo Igloo (exterior)

The Mariposario consists of the butterfly nursery, natural materials/construction kitchen, a dry compost toilet, organic food gardens, a natural biofiltration pool, aquaponics farms and a bamboo igloo used for meetings and gatherings.

Bamboo Igloo (interior)

Bamboo Stool

Rocket Stove

The natural materials constructed kitchen is in use everyday.  It has a rocket stove, a solar dehydrator, a solar oven and natural filtration water system.

Eva shows us the solar dehydrator

and the Solar Oven

Inside the Mariposario

Inside the Mariposario, which is a walk through structure, you see the many plants that attract the various butterflies that arrive in Jocotepec.

Some of the butterflies and the foods that attract them.

The Biofiltration Pool

The Dry Compost Toilet

Eva in the lush organic gardens

All in all it was a wonderful visit and we plan on returning to see the continual development of the project.

The Growers Group Members and the Mariposario Team

A special Gracias to all the Mariposario crew:

Eva Asher, Marcos Llamas, Neftali Valdivia, Jocelyn Villa Gomez, Laura Chavez and Ignacio.

To visit the Mariposario, contact Suzette Amado, coordinator at suzette@biotu.org and schedule a visit.

Or catch them on Facebook at BioTu.

(photo courtesy of Lezlie Green)

Enjoy!