Butterflies

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 22 Apr 2002, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Jenny-Li	22 Apr 2002
Hi all! I was thinking of butterflies today, dunno why, but I came to think of them, and I vaguely remember seeing some nature programme on TV about butterflies. This part I remember was about some part of the world where butterflies "hatched" in millions, often in the very same day, and they sort of just rolled in over the landscape, like a giant typhoon, millions and millions of them... Now I can't remember anything more than this, but I would like to read some more about it - does anyone know what part of the world I'm talking about, anyone heard of this "butterfly-phenomenon"? I'd guess it's in some tropical part of the world, but then biology never was my best subject, so I might be wrong... Any ideas? Anyone? An easier question (at least in this forum) which deck is it that has a mass of butterflies for its Death-card...? I can't remember this one either... (I'm getting old, folks!) Thanks in advance! Light and love, Jenny :)

lunalafey	22 Apr 2002
I have witnessed such a thing happening, not in such enormous numbers. I was sitting outside at my homestead, get this, it was Earth Day, the April following my father's death, who was an entomologist(bug doctor he'd say)Along the top of the meadow, coming out of the trees were...butterflies..but they could have been moths. They floated out of the trees by the hundreds and fluttered down the tree line and off into the world.... I don't know about this 'place' but I do know that the Monarch butterfly. These butterflies do a migratory thing, traveling all the way from Alaska to So. America, and sometimes Austrailia..There are places in CA, (Pacific Grove), and Mexico that the butterfies stop to rest. There are so many of them in the trees that you cant see the tree itself and the branches sag.

Dragonfly	22 Apr 2002
Hi Jenny-Li not sure if these are the right butterfly but here in Califorina we have the what's call the Monarch Butterfly. They are orange and black. Hope that helps. :)

amyel	22 Apr 2002
Jenny-Li, there is also a massive Monarch butterfly migration each year from Mexico to Canada. They are known to stop on Point Pelee Island in Lake...(oh gosh, *this* is embarrassing, since I 'm a Great lake girl.....) um...Lake Onatio, I think it is...or maybe Lake Huron? It is a enviromentally protected site (the island, that is). It is a major attraction and I've heard that people come from around the world to see it. Monarch's survive almost exclusively on Milkweed, and for this reason, I always make sure I allow some milkweed to grow in my garden. Last year, I was finally rewarded with several Monarch's that came into my yard to feed....

Jenny-Li	23 Apr 2002
Hi! Thanks all for your replies, I haven't had the time to go search the Net for the info yet, but what you're saying is ringing a whole lot of bells! I'm sure the Monarch butterfly and their migration is what I'm thinking of, and the pictures I get in my head are from Point Pelee Island like Amyel suggested! Thank you! Light and love! Jenny :)

lunalafey	23 Apr 2002
jenni- are you familiar with the symbology of the butterfly? You're on the right track amyel....It is the catapillar that feeds only on the milkweed. Chew chew chew..Once they become butterflies, they go for nectar. My father brought home part of a milk weed plant. It had 5 caters on it. We watched them devour the plant and then form a chrysalis(chry. smooth/shiny vs.cocoon fuzzy/wooly) From there we had butterflies. They would step onto my finger just as a pet bird. Of course we let them go...

Jenny-Li	23 Apr 2002
Symbology - well I'm not familliar with it, I know for example there is one Tarot deck that pictures butterflies in the Death card - as butterflies are such a good symbol of "transition" - the way the caterpillar "dies" to become a cocoon/chrysalis (new word for me - thanks! :) ), and the cocoon dies to become the butterfly... It's a process that has amazed most of us as kids, and as grown-ups at least in my case! Other than that I'm not sure I'm familliar with any butterfly symbology - but I'd love to hear some more, if you care to tell me...! Love and light, Jenny :)

Butterfly	23 Apr 2002
Apart from the obvious transformation symbology, alittle known fact is that many butterflies only live a day, a few weeks at the absolute most, just long enough to lay eggs. So the transience of their beauty is really striking. Also- they are completely deaf!

amyel	23 Apr 2002
Quote: Originally posted by lunalafey You're on the right track amyel....It is the catapillar that feeds only on the milkweed. Chew chew chew..Once they become butterflies, they go for nectar. My father brought home part of a milk weed plant. It had 5 caters on it. We watched them devour the plant and then form a chrysalis(chry. smooth/shiny vs.cocoon fuzzy/wooly) From there we had butterflies. They would step onto my finger just as a pet bird. Of course we let them go... Wow! I didn't know that! So maybe I thought they were feasting and instead they were laying eggs! Veeeerrrrryyyy interesting.....

lunalafey	24 Apr 2002
The butterfly is transformation. Like it's life cycle, egg, catapillar(larva), cocoon/chrysalis(pupa)Butterfly(adult). what do all these stages involve ? egg developement/birth, larva nourishment and growth, cocoon going within, metamorphisis, and then the emerging of the butterfly. The butterfly is used by berevement orginizations because of the death/change/rebirth ways. A spiritual symbol for life after death. When a catapillar dies, a butterfly is born. how does one become a butterfly ? one must GIVE UP being a catapillar. LOOK UNDER THE MILKWEED LEAVES there will be little clusters of milkwhite eggs, the catapillars have thin, black, white, and yellow stripes going around them. They are smooth skined rather than fuzzy...

The Butterflies thread was originally posted on 22 Apr 2002 in the Chat board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Chat, or read more archived threads.