In pictures: Wisley butterflies

Tropical butterflies have been introduced to the glasshouse at the Royal Horticultural Society's gardens at Wisley for the winter.

The Butterflies in the Glasshouse event, which runs until 22 February, aims to encourage visitors to support butterfly conservation.

More than 8,000 people visited RHS Garden Wisley during the first weekend of the event, a big increase on normal winter turnout.

Organisers said many of the visitors had come especially to see the exotic butterflies.

Visitors are encouraged to identify the variety of species from as far away as Asia and South America.

As native butterflies are not suitable for the greenhouse environment, tropical species have been brought in from Stratford Butterfly Farm.

The insects are bred at the Fallen Stones farm in Belize and transported to Stratford once they have turned into pupae.

Staff at RHS Wisley have been trained to look after the pupae in the Glasshouse until they emerge into butterflies.

Once each butterfly emerges from its chrysalis it is free to fly around the Glasshouse and feed on nectar from the flowers or rotting fruit.

The RHS hopes visitors will be encouraged to support the charity Butterfly Conservation and create their own habitats for the insects.

They also hope the butterflies will attract a new audience to the rest of their gardens at Wisley.