Does the Flap of a butterfly's wings in Brazil set off a tornado in Texas?
Mathematicians and scientists have been pondering this question, also known as the chaos theory, since mathematician Edward Lorenz posed it in 1979 to the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
It seems odd for this seemingly fragile insect to be at the centre of such a debate, but these beautiful creatures do act as a barometer for our environment's health, according to Butterflies.com.
Providing a safe place for butterflies to land, lay eggs, rest and feed is as easy as planting a few native plants, since their natural habitat is rapidly being usurped by urban sprawl.
There are five cycles to a butterfly's life cycle and a plant to suit each one, says Carolyn Scotchmer, a restoration site coordinator for Evergreen.
The Humber Bay Butterfly Habitat is a great example of a welcoming locale and is co-sponsored by the City of Toronto Parks and Recreation department and the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, and is maintained by the staff from Evergreen and a group of volunteers.
Construction started on the site in 2001. Today, it is a combination of meadows and pocket wetlands to suit the 142 species that call Ontario home, including Monarchs, Swallowtails, Red Admirals, Mourning Cloaks and Painted Ladies.
The park is planted with native materials butterflies use during their life cycle, which ranges from four days to 11 months, depending on the species.
"There are five stages in a butterlfy's life cycle and plants for every stage," says Scotchmer. "During the last three years, volunteers have planted everything from witch grass and Indian grass to wild flowers, from butterfly weed to wild strawberries.
"Our stewardship team goes out to the site once week to remove invasive and non-native plant material such as purple loosestrife and sweet clover," adds Scotchmer.
