Butterfliers-
I had an amazing day of butterflying yesterday. I had 3 species of Morphos,
some Owl butterflies, and a bunch of others. Ok, so I wasn't in Vermont and
I didn't exactly go outside. I just couldn't stand it anymore. I needed
butterflies. So I drove up to Montreal and went to the Insectarium and the
Botanical Garden's butterfly greenhouse. WOW! You have to go. It was
amazing. I could have captured amazing photos, unfortunately my camera
battery was dead when I got in there. They have 1,000s of butterflies
gliding among tropical vegetation (and buzzing your head). And, just out
the windows, it was snowing. All of the butterflies come from farms in S.
and C. America and are not wild caught, but rather raised on the farm (of
course at one time the had to catch them to get farm stock to start up).
They are shipped to Canada under permit in chrysalis and emerge in the
green house. You can even watch some of them emerging.

Here is there web site:
http://www2.ville.montreal.qc.ca/jardin/en/propos/papillon.htm

Here is what you can see:
http://community.webshots.com/album/10255061tOwhgibIDI

It is open until end of APril. It was really really a sight for tired eyes!

Kent
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Kent P. McFarland
Conservation Biology Dept.
Vermont Institute of Natural Science
27023 Church Hill Road
Woodstock, VT   05091   USA
802-457-2779 x124
www.vinsweb.org
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