Carleton is hosting the 12th annual biology butterfly show Oct. 1-10.
The 10-day exhibit is the same length as a butterfly’s life span and every year almost 11,000 visitors come to see upwards of 1,300 butterflies, said Ed Bruggink, the greenhouse manager.
The popular activity draws a crowd because “it’s something you don’t normally see in Ottawa,” Bruggink said. “We don’t have a butterfly conservatory here. You have to travel to Montreal or Toronto to see it. So, it’s a nice gift to the community from Carleton.”
Around 40 species of butterflies were shipped in the last two weeks, he said. The butterflies were in their pupae state, meaning they were no longer caterpillars but hadn’t yet transformed into butterflies, Bruggink said.
“I try to change the species, make it more interesting. We have repeat visitors who have taken pictures of the same butterfly every year, and to have something different is a ‘wow’ factor,” he said, adding this year’s main attraction will be African species.
