Walk in Summit Woods

A quiet Sunday walk in Summit Woods. The butterflies were flitting around, landing in sunny spots.



We preferred the coolness of the shade.



The woods on the summit are quite dense. This yellow splash of colour was one of the few flowers we saw.



There are many shades and shapes of greens all contributing to the cool feeling.





No Pokemon (though I was not looking) but I did spy this fellow hiding in a log. A new game? A geocaching prize? Or just a lost toy tucked in to keep it from the elements.

Butterflies Go Free

A delightful afternoon spent at the Botanical Garden's exhibit of Butterflies Go Free.
It is simply magical to enter this space and be surrounded by butterflies flitting around.



These butterflies are hard to capture as most of the time they are resting, their wings are closed. Their blue colour is spectacular.



Some pose, staying in one spot for a long time. Others seem to be always on the move.



Some perch daintily as they feed. Others flap their wings madly to stay in place.



But each is a thing of beauty. I try to imagine why they have evolved the way they have with their intricate colours and patterns. It was not just to be admired.

I am sure I did not spot all the varieties that were in the greenhouse. Here is the pamphlet that describes them all. 

Blue Morpho

Blue Morpho, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

It's almost impossible to catch the blue morphos' magnificent iridescent blue exterior. They flit around so quickly and once they land they fold up their wings.

Here are more of the butterflies we saw.



The varieties and patterns are extraordinary.



These are actually moths. They are more active at night. They are quite large as you can see below in comparison to one of the butterflies.





The butterflies have normal life cycles - here are monarchs mating. When we looked carefully (with the help of a person working there) we saw some eggs, a few caterpillars from a few species of butterflies as well as a chrysalis.



It was so delightful to see all the colours.

Butterfly

Butterfly, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

Photos: April 2, 2013

Every year the Botanical Gardens has a butterfly exhibit: Butterflies Go Free. What a treat when the outdoor scene is devoid of bright colours and when the wind makes walking outside bitter. I enjoyed my brief stop in the tropics - even if it was artificial.



The butterflies fluttered by. Landing on their spindly legs they enjoyed the warmth.



Some rested with their lacy wings outstretched, while others closed their wings and hid their brilliant colours.



The Monarch is common in Quebec in summer. Their astonishing migration is a concern for all as their winter area has been threatened by logging. I would hate to think that the yearly exhibit will become the only place to see them.

More butterflies to come.

Butterflies

Butterflies 5, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

Butterflies have been dancing in the garden, curtseying as they land on each flower. I have never seen as many as this year.

They flit from flower to flower, enjoying the sweet nectar, always looking for the next partner. They watch carefully for signs of danger. my moves provoked a flutter as they moved a little farther away.




Each flower enticed. What a visual treat!

Pollinating

Pollinating, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

 Photos: June 28 in René Levesque Park

The bees are busy, flitting from flower to flower taking pollen baths as the search for nectar. On a walk recently we saw many bees hard at work.

Flowers are abundant along the shore. Some are obviously planted; others are wild and have taken root where they will.




Even the occasional butterfly was visiting from flower to flower




The David Suzuki Foundation ran a 30X30 challenge - spend 30 minutes every day (for 30 days) in nature. While I don't always manage it daily, I do know that a walk, away from city streets is balm for the soul.

Spot the Butterfly

Spot the Butterfly, originally uploaded by susanvg.

A visit to "Butterflies are Free" at the Montreal Botanical Gardens kept me smiling for a long time. It's a magical experience as the butterflies flit around, stopping to feed from the riot of flowers or to rest.

So delicate, their thin legs perch while they reach into the flowers, imbibing the nectar. Some flap their wings so they seem a blur as they drink. Others seem to perch.



The sun was streaming into the greenhouse giving plenty of warm spots to stop and soak it in.



Huge moths, hatching from cocoons, spread their wings and flew off.



These and more butterfly photographs can be found here.
With much difficult news from around the world, we need to find our oases of peace and tranquility. This was certainly one of them, even with the multitude of people who were also enjoying the experience.