Thoas swallowtail
Despite having strong reservations about the idea of keeping any creature in captivity, I feel that the efforts of the Natural History Museum in London to bring butterflies and moths of the tropics and subtropics to a wider audience, is commendable, as the insects are sourced from sustainable projects which both help their local economies and also help conservation within each area.
The insects are raised under carefully controlled conditions, only moved when they are pupae and don't emerge until they are in the artificial but varied and appropriate habitat which has been created especially for them and in which they can then breed. At the same time, healthy insects are released into the wild in their native habitat to increase numbers, often in places where they are threatened.
For several years now this exhibition has run in the Butterfly Pavilion at the Natural History Museum in London. It is open this year until September 17. Once the exhibition is closed the insects are re-homed in carefully chosen butterfly houses throughout the country.
Having failed completely to take any shots of butterflies in the wild in Argentina, Paraguay, Nigeria and Ivory Coast, it was a good chance to see them at close range and capture some of them with the camera. Be warned though that the environment in which they are kept is hot and humid, so be sure that your camera can cope with the conditions.
You can read all about the current ( 2017) exhibition at www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/sensational-butterflies-bringing-t...
These photos were all taken in 2015 and species vary from year to year.
Thoas swallowtail
Despite having strong reservations about the idea of keeping any creature in captivity, I feel that the efforts of the Natural History Museum in London to bring butterflies and moths of the tropics and subtropics to a wider audience, is commendable, as the insects are sourced from sustainable projects which both help their local economies and also help conservation within each area.
The insects are raised under carefully controlled conditions, only moved when they are pupae and don't emerge until they are in the artificial but varied and appropriate habitat which has been created especially for them and in which they can then breed. At the same time, healthy insects are released into the wild in their native habitat to increase numbers, often in places where they are threatened.
For several years now this exhibition has run in the Butterfly Pavilion at the Natural History Museum in London. It is open this year until September 17. Once the exhibition is closed the insects are re-homed in carefully chosen butterfly houses throughout the country.
Having failed completely to take any shots of butterflies in the wild in Argentina, Paraguay, Nigeria and Ivory Coast, it was a good chance to see them at close range and capture some of them with the camera. Be warned though that the environment in which they are kept is hot and humid, so be sure that your camera can cope with the conditions.
You can read all about the current ( 2017) exhibition at www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/sensational-butterflies-bringing-t...
These photos were all taken in 2015 and species vary from year to year.