Butterfly visit

If you’ve perused my creations and seen my photographs, you know I have an affinity for butterflies. During my Custer Street Fair visit I was given a free pass to the Nature Museum for helping out with a survey. Coming up on its expiration day, I finally made the short trip on Monday.

I love the child-friendly visual lab with a variety of critters such as the walking stick, Ferocious Water Bug (the male carries eggs on his back) and Chinese Praying Mantis.

The center also showcases its heritage of the Chicago Academy of Sciences.

But the bulk of my time was spent looking at the butterflies, such as numerous longwings.

Isn’t it amazing how fast this Mormon flutters its wings?

From nature museum Aug’11

The Cairns Birdwing is even faster, and I could barely capture it in flight. At rest they were lovely models.

Morphos and Rice Paper butterflies fascinate me too.

My favorite book on butterflies is The Life Cycles of Butterflies: From Egg to Maturity which some of my butterfly-keeping friends also use as a reference. I also enjoyed this fictional journey: An Extraordinary Life: The Story of a Monarch Butterfly.

This bench would make a good reading nook.

Although I read they cannot hear, I still hold my breath when I see a butterfly close by. There is something magical about their lifecycle, beauty and variety. Someday I hope to have a butterfly garden. For now, I enjoy viewing these lovely creatures in local gardens, parks and the public sanctuaries created for them.

Remember that delicate creatures such as butterflies have great strength, and so do you. May you have a week filled with sweet nectar, gentle momentum and bright sunny spots.