Unidentified Butterfly.

Katkatkat our #2 daughter is still suffering the effects of the storm which removed the roof from her flat on the 5th December 2013. Finally the insurance company has OKed the restoration of the interior. This means a succession of trades men including electricians, plasterers and decorators over the next 3 weeks. As a result it means the contents of the flat have to be packed in a way which allows them to be moved from room to room allowing as clear an area for the tradesmen to !attack" as possible.

As a result we were scheduled to nip up to Edinburgh for a day visit to take useful items like old blankets for covering furniture and to remove some of the more delicate/precious items to be looked after while the mayhem is going on. As she lives on the 3rd floor I didn't feel that the extreme mountaineering of the stairs was for me at the moment. So the plan was to set off very early (6:00am) call at a couple of places CC and I needed to visit. Drop off the items at the flat, picking up Katkatkat and her partner and then go for a relaxed day at the Edinburgh Butterfly and Insect World on the Dobbies Garden Centre site at Lasswade.

The plan turned out to be perfect. We arrived at the Garden centre in time for a good lunch This then meant we could visit the butterflies,returning to the cafe for coffee or if I needed to rest. In the event I managed well I even abandoned the walking stick while in the butterfly house as I am not good at operating a camera one handed and wasn't prepared to miss any photo opportunities. What a fantastic place! Exotic Butterflies flying round and landing on you (CC had one on her hair for the full duration of our time in their at least an hour), quail running about on the undergrowth and large terrapins basking in the pools and a little water fall adding to the atmosphere. If that wasn't enough there is a reptile house with
snakes, lizards chameleons etc. They also have large insects such as tropical millipedes. A times during the day there are sessions when the staff take the reptiles out and talk about them and allow children (or adults if they want to) to find out what a snake really feels like.

This is the first time since I started blipping when I have had such difficulty choosing my shot. When I finally decided CC said "I thought you would choose one like that". Why? "Because it tells a story". I didn't think I was predictable but I must be. The shot shows a newly hatched butterfly which I am afraid I was unable to identify from the literature available, resting after having just emerged from its chrysalis. They appear to raise the caterpillars and when they pupate fasten them to wooden rods and put them on a rack in the butterfly house. They hatch and become free flying. There were rows and rows of chrysalis (what is the plural chrysalii?) of many species and butterflies hanging there in all stages from just emerged with damp crumpled wings to just ready to fly like this one.

It was approaching 6:00pm when we finally left Katkatkat and G at the flat, said our goodbyes and started to make our way gently home. I am pleased to report that after what was probably my most strenuous day since the operation I have felt no ill effects.