Experience Québec
Butterflies go free
Fluttering in from the Americas
If the precepts of the chaos theory are to be believed, the beating of a butterfly’s wings in the Americas can trigger a chain reaction that culminates in a storm in Europe. If that’s the case, then here in Montréal, the “butterfly effect” is distinctly tropical. From February 19 to April 26 2009, it’s in full force at the Main Exhibition Greenhouse of the Montréal Botanical Garden. Spotlight on the Americas and its magnificent “flutter-bys”! 
Butterflies Go Free is now in its 12th edition. Children flock back for more, while their parents, equally dazzled by so much exotic beauty, can’t seem to stay away, either. The butterfly is an insect that, over the course of its life, experiences distinct highs and lows. You could even call it the “ugly duckling” of entomology: though some caterpillars are quite lovely, others are ugly enough to strike fear into the heart of even the most avid insect-lover.
Québec has wings
Hyperactive, polymorphous and masters of mimicry, these winged beauties are sure to enchant all comers as they take flight at the Montréal Botanical Garden’s main greenhouse. The star butterflies of 2009 are the Moon moth and the Cecropia, both found in Québec . 
The province has 3051 species, from which 85% are night moths , like the Moon moth.One of the most intriguing is, neddless to say, the Cercopia, an astonishingly resourceful one (Click on the photo to learn more).From Africa
The guest list also includes those great pretenders, Papilio dardanus. If the male of the species always looks the same, the female comes in fourteen different shapes! These butterflies sometimes mimic species that are unappetizing to predators: an excellent defence mechanism.
African monarchs, also known as Danaus chrysippus, are sure to delight visitors with their flamboyant hues. Their aposematic markings warn would-be attackers to stay away: these butterflies are toxic. This species has been reported at altitudes of 2,750 metres (9,000 ft.) in the Himalayas.
The butterfly effect
As meteorologist Edward Lorenz so famously described during his talk for the American Association for the Advancement of Science, a flap of a butterfly’s wings can trigger a hurricane thousands of miles away. If that’s so, then just imagine the potential effect from the wings of the countless African butterflies reared in breeding farms—projects that support entire communities. The mind boggles! Butterflies Go Free supports sustainable development among local populations through three objectives: species preservation, nature and environmental conservation, and income generation for people who have few resources. A new kind of butterfly effect!
Inspired by various Costa Rican butterfly breeding farms, a number of African farms decided to try to safeguard their forests and futures, too. Among these is Kenya’s Kipepeo—Swahili for “butterfly”—an initiative that considers the forest a precious and inexhaustible resource, provided it is treated with respect. A dependable and organized supplier, Kipepeo safeguards a 40,000-hectare (100,000-acre) forest and over 250 butterfly species. The Insectarium, which has obtained a number of Kipepeo’s chrysalides, also supports two other African breeding farms, one in Tanzania, the other in Uganda.From a sustainable development perspective
For Butterflies Go Free 2009, the Canada Food Inspection Agency granted the Montréal Insectarium a special permit to import and export 90 new butterfly species from Africa. Besides presenting a unique exhibition, the Insectarium helps create employment in certain African forest-adjacent communities, giving them incentive to raise insects rather than cut trees! 
Beyond being an endless source of delight, the exhibition brims with learning opportunities, notably by creating optimal observation conditions and providing trained guides to tell visitors about the importance of protecting this magnificent insect. Education and conservation are central to the Insectarium’s mission. Marika D’Eschambeault, an interpretive guide and naturalist, explains that the chrysalides and cocoons at Butterflies Go Free come from fair-trade breeding farms that abide by a rigorous code of ethics. Such practices ensure sustainable development in the communities that raise these tropical insects and the forests where they live.
Under such conditions, a simple visit, besides being enormously enjoyable, can increase your protective feelings toward butterflies and the natural environment… precisely the aim of Butterflies Go Free. In the Main Exhibition Greenhouse of the Botanical Garden, February 19 to April 26, 2009. Open Tuesday to Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Also open on two Mondays, February 23 and March 2 (school break) and April 13 (Easter Monday). | Butterflies Go Free... by the numbers |
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Butterflies released during the event: over 15,000André Quenneville et Sylvain Lacoursière
2009-02-20
