Company Profile

Tropical Entomological House was established in the 1971 by Mr. David Goh. At that time it was known as Tropical Insect Supply, later changed to Tropical Insect House and was finally changed to Tropical Entomological House in early 1980's. David Goh was an avid butterfly collector since his teenage days and the hobby went on until he joined The Teachers' Training College. It was during this time that he went one step further into the study of the early stages of the life history of Malaysian butterflies. As a Secondary School teacher, posted to the State of Kedah where he combed most of the fauna-rich jungle paths and waterfalls and further enriched himself with more first-hand knowledge of the habitats and the various newly-discovered hosts of Troides, Atrophaneura, Danaid and Nymphalid species.

In 1981, he came to know Mr. Clive P. Farrell, the owner of London Butterfly House in Syon Park, London and was further motivated by Clive to go into commercial breeding of Malaysian butterflies for supply to his London Butterfly House. In 1984, David and his wife Vanessa made a study trip to England at the invitation of Clive P. Farrell. After visiting several glass-house butterfly exhibitions, David's interest in setting up a public exhibition of his own in Penang was greatly strengthened. Since then he started his pursuit of switching from his teaching profession to a new career of exhibiting live butterflies to the public. Finally he formed another company called Penang Butterfly Farm and this 1st tropical live butterfly exhibition was open to public on 29th March 1986. With the opening of this public exhibition, Tropical Entomological House's breeding operation was further expanded to cater for both its own sister company's need as well as the fast-growing demand of the butterfly houses in Europe and U.S.A

Currently Tropical Entomological House has trained up more than 15 experience chief butterfly breeders who cover a total of 6 breeding farms that take up total land area of closed to 4 hectares. Our overall breeding programs are strategically planned so that the consistency and continuity of pupae production throughout the year is rarely jeopardized by out-break of diseases. Being blessed with the absence of Typhoon, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, our reliability and quality of supply has gained world-wide support particularly from major live-butterfly exhibitions, zoos and entomological institutions in U.K., Continental Europe, Canada, U.S.A. and Asia.

Simultaneously Penang Butterfly Farm with its dedicated team of entomologists has embarked on a diverse breeding research program which covers various other arthropods and invertebrates. Its recent plan to collaborate with SERI (Science in Education and Research Institute) to turn Penang Butterfly Farm into also an E.R.& D. (Educational Research and Development) Centre will hopefully bring more life into its children's club (namely Caterpillar Club respectively) set up by Penang Butterfly Farm. Working hand-in-hand with P.B.F., T.E.H. has also embarked on the export of other live arthropods and invertebrates to entomological institutions, zoos and butterfly houses round the world.