Morpho Mania

Even though I am a long time member of the Missouri Botanical Garden, I have never gone to the Butterfly House in March for Morpho Mania. The Butterfly House floods their conservatory with thousands of Blue Morpho butterflies for this event in an effort to educate visitors about the important role butterflies play in nature. Jim and I visited there today, and I have to say it was an amazing sight. This type of butterfly is brown when the wings are closed and you only see the blue when it is flying or has its wings open. It was very difficult to try and capture them with a still camera as they are mostly in flight. I was happy that I brought my pocket camcorder along as I was able to videotape them more successfully than photograph them.

Unlike the Orchid Show yesterday at the Missouri Botanical Garden, the Butterfly House was not overly crowded. We were able to take our time going through and photograph to our hearts content without being in the way of other people. (Or having them get in our way.) I always forget how hot and humid it gets inside the conservatory. It took quite a while before my camera lens would quit fogging up from the change in temperature.

 

I did not realize that the Butterfly House was the recipient of one of the butterfly sculptures from the Wings in the City fundraiser that was held a couple of years ago in St. Louis. This is probably one of the prettiest sculptures, and I love how the artist reproduced the Butterfly House on the sculpture.

I'll leave you with one of the Blue Morphos sounding the alarm at the Butterfly House.