Rare Butterfly Sightings Coming to a Garden Near You

I remember being so very excited when I caught a glimpse of a beautiful large blue butterfly on a very early morning walk a few winters ago in Costa Rica. I was the only member of my family to see it. This past weekend my daughter and I spent some time between her dance schedule to spend some time with the butterflies in Niagara Falls. Deborah was amused at how much the blue morpho butterflies were attracted to me. I joked that it was because we had already met but then again maybe it was just my bright yellow cashmere sweater or the 

kjoo pin I was wearing on my jacket. 

I love the disguise these creatures have on the undersurface of their wings. It really reminds me of my fascination with making jackets that are dark or plainer on the outside but then when you see the lining you get a bright flash of color or pattern. 

We even saw some of these butterflies just completing their metamorphosis from the pupae.

They did also love Deborah's bright red track pants but she found them a little too ticklish when they landed on her almost bare foot.

This was only one of many species of butterflies we saw in the conservatory. I will share some more pictures with you later in the week. 

One of the effects of global warming that we might not initially think of as negative is that the diversity and range of butterfly species has been changing dramatically over the past decade and especially in Canada we are seeing species of butterflies that would never have ventured this far north before. This might delight us temporarily but if they are moving north continually eventually they will run out of places to go and who or what will be occupying the lands that they have left?

Like this little one in the conservatory they will not all survive.

Comments

[mayaluna]

My family and I visited this wonderful conservatory exactly a year ago! In fact my first flickr buddy icon was a butterfly photo taken that day. I had the hardest time taking a photo of the morpho with open wings... they really did love you! Thank you for another gentle wake up call to the many ways we have to open our eyes and protect every living creature.

[Rane]

Oh margie these are
beautiful! They must
have known how much you
love nature... maybe you
still smell like the
forest you walk in!
Breathtakingly vivid
photos... thank you.
Sad ... but true... we
here in Illinois have in
the past 3 years seen less
and less of native
butterflies than we use
to. Last fall we seen
a Giant sea foam green
colored butterfly I had
never seen before.. I lost
the photo.. and wish I
knew what it was...it was
not a moth.
Sounds like you had a lot
of fun on your trip, cant
wait to see more!
Love to you and your family
Rane
~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~

[Jennifer]

Those are some giant butterflies. That blue color is stunning. And I really like the collections you displayed at the end.

[Sonia]

Thanks so much for such a beautiful post, Margie. And for always reminding us to keep our eyes open & our mind awoken.

[Mathyld / encore petite]

I didn't know they were so many butterflies at Niagara Falls !!! Stunning ...
I love the picture of the butterfly with semi-closed wings, just about to reveal the shiny turquoise of his wings but still showing the delicate patterns under them ...

x x x
___mathyld___

[Lin]

What an amazing colour that butterflies wings are. So special.

[Adamandia]

I've been trying an experiment, just before I go to sleep I repeat to myself..."I want to dream of blue butterflies reflecting the sun's light." and so far I haven't dreamt of any butterflies at all but I keep finding blue butterfly images while I'm awake. Last night was the first time I tried the experiment again, in quite a few weeks and this morning you posted photographs of blue butterflies!!! Wow!

[rebekah]

beeeautiful!

[Laura G.]

How beautiful and sad. Butterflies are amazing creatures, and it saddens me to think of the butterflies being driven from their natural homes.

My family on my mother's side lived in the mountains in northern california in the 1800's, and my great-great-grandpa made jewelry from butterfly wings (pressed beneath glass). I got one of his blue butterfly wing necklaces after my grandma passed away, and I have since lost it - it just breaks my heart; it was the only possession I really treasured.

[Elsita :)]

Wow Margie! These butterflies are sooo amazing! The real ones and the ones made by you with natural elements. You mentioned Costa Rica! Bill's dad is always encouraging Bill and I to visit Costa Rica because nature over there is amazing. You're so lucky that you were able to see these beautiful creatures in person!
Thank you for sharing the pictures with us!
Elsita :)

[nanou]

Margie, you can recognize the beauty. Butterflies know that !

[BPM]

wow amazing collections... specially blue one s fantastic.....

[Lots in Costa Rica]

The butterflies are so beautiful, thanks for the photos are amazing. Have you more?

[guanacaste costa rica real estate]

This past weekend my daughter and I spent some time between her dance schedule to spend some time with the butterflies in Niagara Falls. Deborah was amused at how much the blue morpho butterflies were attracted to me.