I wish all butterfly houses had Macrocilix maia.
Lepidoptera you wish were common in butterfly houses.
- Thread starter birdsandbats
- Start date
Was complete unknown to me but after checking Google, I must say : indeed a very intresting species !
I looked it up and very interesting-looking species indeed - its mimicry is kind of next level. It would be very interesting to see.
Personally something that I also would like to see more is the use of native species, indoor or even in outdoor butterfly "aviaries".
I have only see such a display once (at Insectarium Lieteberg in Zutendaal, Flanders/Belgium) with native butterfly species kept in what basically a nice kind of wild garden covered with a half-circular fine mesh "aviary", and people could walk through it to see the butterflies.
It might not be easy to keep or acquire native butterflies and special permits would likely be required in most places, but nonetheless I think this could be a very interesting possibility for environmental education about native species and how to conserve them.
Don't get me wrong, I love the colorful tropical species, but let us also give native species some attention.
There is a facility close to ma called Butterfly Gardens of Wisconsin near me that only exhibits native species of butterflies, moths, and dragonflies. I reviewed it here: Birdsandbats' Butterfly Gardens of Wisconsin Review [Butterfly Gardens of Wisconsin]
Also, Toledo and Minnesota both have native butterfly houses including breeding endangered ones.
Here in the states, there's quite a few native butterfly houses. Normally they are shipped to the zoos either as chrysalis or sometimes live adults. However, you are correct in the special permit needed due to potential invasiveness. FDA monitors them tightly, and facilities can be easily shut down if they are discovered to be in violation.
Glad to hear that they do do this kind of thing in the United States also. That said I still have only seen it once here in Europe and still think it would be a good idea for zoos include, especially those who focus on or have sections with lots of native or northern hemisphere species.
Papiliorama in Switzerland has such outdoor aviary for several local rare butterflies. The problem is that they fly normally for 4-8 weeks a year. Rest of the year the aviary is empty. Contrary to what one previous user feared, however, getting or breeding native rare butterflies (with permission for conservation purposes) is usually not difficult.
I would like to see more use of the various day-flying moths - many hawkmoths (Sphingidae) are diurnal, active, and at least as long-lived as butterflies. The only moths usually seen are silk moths.
Kakapo
Well-Known Member
1 - Go to the thread where are listed all the animals you wish were common in captivity. Zoo animals you want to see but haven't yet
2. Select all Lepidoptera from the list and reject the non-Lepidoptera.
3. Result: my reply to this thread. (And included, of course, the mythical Macrocilix maia)
2. Select all Lepidoptera from the list and reject the non-Lepidoptera.
3. Result: my reply to this thread. (And included, of course, the mythical Macrocilix maia)
Kakapo
Well-Known Member
I was surprising to find casually that this is exactly the kind of butterfly house that Franklin Park zoo have. Well, mixed with some exotic butterflies too, but mainly natives.