Longwing butterflies (Heliconius sp.) All butterflies hatch from an egg! Butterfly eggs in general are quite small, sometimes even smaller than the head of a pin. They come in a wide variety of colours and shapes, however, and some butterfly eggs look a lot like a colourful tiny diamond or gem. Longwings are a tropical group of butterflies from Central …
Spiny Stick Bug Eggs
Spiny Stick Bug (Extatosoma tiaratum) A type of stick insect found in Australia, the Spiny Stick bug is a very well-camouflaged insect designed to look like a cross between a prickly stick and a dead leaf. Like all stick insects, the females will lay hundreds of eggs one at a time, which they simply let fall to the forest floor. …
What’s the buzz? How Insects Communicate
Because of their unique anatomies, insects communicate in very different ways than humans. In contrast to humans, insects rarely rely on sight to communicate. Insects are particularly reliant on smell and taste and are attuned to the fine chemical differences in their environment. Also, they often sense sounds and vibrations that we humans cannot. Why do insects need to communicate, ...
4 Reasons to Visit the Conservatory in Wintertime
1. Come warm up here! The weather outside is frightful, and our entire facility is indoors! The Conservatory temperature typically ranges from 24°C (75°F) to 28ºC (82°F) with high humidity. We have the perfect mini tropical getaway - make sure you dress in layers. 2. Meet an Insect Visit our insect galleries to see a variety of amazing insects and ...
Monarch Tagging Weekend
Summer is coming to a close, and that means that the Monarch butterflies are beginning their 5000 km journey south to overwinter in Mexico. Most adult Monarch butterflies that you see in the summer only live 2-5 weeks, but the migratory generation (those that emerge from their chrysalides in late August and early September) lives an exceptional 6-8 months. A ...
What is pollination?
Stories about the decline and disappearance of pollinators are abundant in the news worldwide and there's no doubt that these stories are spurring action in our communities. But what exactly is pollination, who are the pollinators, and why are they important? What is pollination? Pollination is the act of pollen being moved from the anther of a flower to the ...
Decline of the American Bumble Bee
Perhaps you’ve seen some articles on social media talking about a worrisome phenomenon that scientists are calling the “Insect Apocalypse”. Researchers are starting to put concrete numbers to the startling decline of major insect populations around the world, and the numbers are scary. One of the insect groups on decline is one that’s probably the most familiar and recognizable to ...
Goin’ on a bug hunt, gonna catch a big one!
Did you know there are thousands of the world’s tiniest but most amazing animals living in your own backyard? Many of us think of mammals when we hear the word “animals” but insects and arachnids are animals too! We are lucky that the backyard of the Conservatory is several acres of wildflower meadow and this year we have decided to ...
Plan Your Visit
Planning a visit to the Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory in the near future? Like many of our visitors, it is likely that you have a few questions before deciding to come and see us. Where will I park? Is there somewhere close by to eat? How long can we expect to spend in the facility? Look no further than this post ...
The Monarchs are Back!
Every fall our Ontario population of Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) heads south to overwinter in the mountains of Mexico. In late May, after what feels like an eternity, we finally start seeing Monarchs once again filling our skies with those vibrant wings of orange, making their way to our patches of milkweed to lay their eggs. Milkweed is the host ...
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