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[Elana]

For those of us in the northern hemisphere, it's summertime, and that means butterflies!

I saw no fewer than three butterflies today when I was walking outside for less than an hour this afternoon. This was really exciting to me, because I live in the middle of downtown Toronto so I don't get much nature. Two of them were monarchs, which was extra-exciting because they're a threatened species, due to illegal deforestation of their habitat in Mexico, where they migrate in the wintertime. I know a few summers ago it was very trendy in Toronto to plant flowers to attract and feed monarchs, to try to help their population bounce back.

One of them was a bit of a browner butterfly, one that I didn't recognize.

It's so delightful to see them fly around. Toronto has a lot of sparrows and pidgeons. The pidgeons are practically a terrestrial species at this point - I never see them fly unless someone is trying to kick them, and even then they just sort of flap away and land again. They never crest three feet up, it seems - all they do all day is eat french fries on the sidewalk or whatever. Sparrows are always flying between the trees, and they dart and fly in straight lines. They're so busy and fast, they attract the eye. So when butterflies go by above me, it's startling and a little thrilling, because it's such an unusual visual pattern. They fly so erratically, not like the sparrows at all. They almost look like leaves falling upwards and sideways, which is quite a surprising thought, especially in summertime.

How many butterflies do you spy in a day? What kinds and colours?

[crystal_gardian]

I see mostly little white moths and huge monarchs and yellow ones that that look Just like monarchs thinking maybe they are...
 
Edit: some spelling errors

[i luv tamas!!!!!!]

i saw seven monarchs. I heard that if you see a butterfly today someone has died but come back to tell you they are okay. wierd

[Elana]

i saw seven monarchs. I heard that if you see a butterfly today someone has died but come back to tell you they are okay. wierd

Today as in Friday the 13th, or any day? That is an interesting myth!

[i luv tamas!!!!!!]

today. isn't that wierd? Sorry my replies are so short.

[crystal_gardian]

i saw seven monarchs. I heard that if you see a butterfly today someone has died but come back to tell you they are okay. weird

interesting theory...
Edit :again some spelling errors

[Chi]

I think it's so WEIRD that you posted this thread!  Today I was eating my lunch when a huge painted lady flew by my window!  My area has been suffering of drought lately, so that was the first butterfly I'd seen this year.   

[i luv tamas!!!!!!]

Watch out Chi! Read my first post and you will see why!

[crystal_gardian]

We don,t have painted ladies in my area...

[Elana]

I think it's so WEIRD that you posted this thread!  Today I was eating my lunch when a huge painted lady flew by my window!  My area has been suffering of drought lately, so that was the first butterfly I'd seen this year.   

Ha ha ha, I'm psychic! Or maybe it just really is butterfly season for real.

I had never heard of the painted lady and I had to look it up. What a beautiful butterfly! The featured photo in the Wikipedia article shows a specimen with transparent parts in the proximal bits of the wings, so you can see the body beneath. That is so pretty - in an insect-y kind of way.

Watch out Chi! Read my first post and you will see why!

I had never heard of this myth before. Even if it's true, isn't it a nice thing that the person's spirit has returned to say they're okay? Either way, let's not scare each other. Butterflies are pretty, and that's all I have to say.