Butterflies Go Free

... Xavier contemplating butterflies ...

I can't identify that one!

... two red-heads ...

... butterfly in lower left corner ... Naomi upper right corner

I didn’t realize the botanical gardens are as famous as they are – especially the butterfly garden called Butterflies Go Free, that is here in Montreal.

It is at is best for three months right now.

Apparently beautiful butterflies and moths are sent here from all over the world in envelopes.

They mate there and for 3 months the cycle of egg caterpillar, pupa and butterfly recycles itself.

... so tired after the long wait, even a butterfly can't make her happy ...

Catherine’s family went to the gardens last week at 9 am.

She said there were so many butterflies – in the air and on the plants.

We didn’t get in until 4 pm to take a look and that was after standing in line for an hour.

But butterflies and moths take their rest in the afternoon so many wings were closed and butterflies and moths were sleeping.

Hebe in the Hacinda Room

The butterfly pavilion is a photographer’s haven.

The flowers have rich colour and even when the majority of butterflies have closed down ... there are still enough in the air to give wonder and delight.

... nature's colour wheel ...

Some cue cards are on the wall which we borrowed.

Find a butterfly that is eating.

Find a butterfly that hovers.

Find a butterfly that flaps its wings.

Find a butterfly that is sleeping.

... look at the butterfly up there ....

... a rest before continuing our walk ...

Hebe hangs out with Leo.

"Tom checks out a caterpillar"

This being their second trip, the Jarvis kids are good at finding caterpillars on leaves – some so tiny that they look like not much more than a hair.

On one leaf there were caterpillars in all stages of growth which I only noticed when Catherine pointed them out.

When I was at the Museum of Civilization last week, I could upgrade my entrance ticket with an IMAX viewing – there was one on the Monarch Butterfly, a viewing in English.

That was a good hour’s instruction for me and added to the enjoyment I had in the gardens.

To be noted in passing are the bonsai trees in the pavilion just before one enters the butterfly room.

To be truthful, the shape of the trees is so restful and the art of their shaping, so exquisite, that it wouldn’t hurt to take a trip to the botanical gardens, just to see those.

One of the lines of the movie was a quote from Darwin saying "Evolution is written on the wings of a butterfly."

If that is true, we read some beautiful comments about life on their wings.

Arta