When most people think about animals, the first creatures that come to mind are often elephants, zebras, dolphins, or puppies. But did you know that insects such as butterflies, stick bugs, cockroaches, and bees are also animals? In biology, scientists use a system called taxonomy to sort and classify all living things. This system was designed by Carl Linnaeus in …
Weddings at Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory – Venue FAQ’s
We caught up with Cayla VanHouwelingen, our Wedding and Events Coordinator to ask her some questions about hosting a wedding at our Conservatory, and what factors couples should take into consideration when choosing a venue for their special day. What are some of the amenities provided by this particular venue? We are a one-stop shop for weddings. We offer an …
How to Tag a Migratory Monarch
Today the story of the Monarch’s epic fall migration to Mexico is commonly told and taught in classrooms across North America. One can almost take it for granted that this is common knowledge today, but it actually wasn’t that long ago that no one knew where the Monarchs disappeared to for the winter. Most of our native insects overwinter in …
The bees are swarming!
Our honeybees in the Observation Hive had a good season: they experienced such a population boom (upwards of 10,000 bees!), they needed more space – so they started swarming! It sounds scarier than it is, but a honey bee swarm is essentially half of the hive moving house. The colony has become so crowded, it’s becoming too difficult to make …
Morning Yoga in the Conservatory
Few of our guests have had the chance to experience the Conservatory in the early hours of the morning. The sense of stillness in the air is peaceful, the birds and butterflies just beginning to awaken, the quails wandering sleepily across the paths. Add in a calming meditation and vinyasa yoga practice, and your day is off to a great …
The Amazing Cicada Emergence
Some people hit the road to go see their favourite band perform in concert; some people hit the road to get away for a few days with friends or family. Other people (like our Naturalist, Andalyne) go on a road trip to witness the mass emergence of a famous bug! Perhaps you’ve heard of the 17-year Periodical Cicada, who according …
Landscapes of Biodiversity – Grand Opening Event
We are tremendously honoured to have spent an evening with Dr. Roberta Bondar Tuesday, May 24th, to celebrate the opening of our new exhibit, Landscapes of Biodiversity, Presented by The Roberta Bondar Foundation. Special guests included local dignitaries MP Bryan May, MPP Kathryn McGarry, CAO of Waterloo Region Ken Seiling, and Mayor Doug Craig. Many thanks to the staff at Cambridge …
Observing Butterfly Courtship Behaviour
People love to look at butterflies, but have you ever watched them for more than a few minutes? Their colours & patterns can be dazzling to watch, and so can their behaviour. In a concentrated environment like a tropical butterfly Conservatory, where there can be upwards of 2000 free-flying butterflies on any given day, it’s quite easy to sit back, …
What kind of community do you live in?
We all belong to communities, composed of businesses, architecture, people, plants and animals. A community in Toronto will be different than a community in Stratford. Each has features that are unique to those communities and reflect the location, geographical area and history of the land. Just like an urban community is made up of living things (plants & animals) and …