Another vote for butterfly houses

[Kondla, Norbert FOR:EX]

Very well said. I too think that butterfly houses are a positve feature of
contemporary society. Unfortunately there is one certainty in life besides
death and taxes: It is certain that no matter what one human being does; at
least one other human being will object strenuously for a host of real and
imagined reasons. I have observed that the naysayers are often very adept at
conjuring up all manner of bad things that could happen; no matter how
implausible or trivial or unsupported by any theoretical or hard evidence.

-----Original Message-----
From: Michael Gochfeld [mailto:gochfeld at EOHSI.RUTGERS.EDU]
Sent: Friday, August 24, 2001 4:29 AM
To: maliboo at aol.com; leps-l at lists.yale.edu
Subject: Another vote for butterfly houses


I have had many opportunities through the years (beginning as a teen-age 
nature counselor) to interact with children and nature (plants, 
butterflies, birds, dinosaurs and even ecosystems).

I can't recall any interaction as spell-binding for children as watching 
butterflies emerge.  Children who can't sit still can somehow stand 
still for a half hour or more, watching the emergences that are 
centerpieces of some of the live butterfly exhibits. And when the 
butterfly finally spreads its wings, it's incredibly gratifying.  

At museums, by contrast, where new exhibits employ interactive 
computer-learning opportunities, kids enjoy the computers (in some cases 
more than the skeletons or reconstructions), and seem to be held more by 
the computer interaction itself ratherthan the information imparted.  
But butterfly emergence is obviously magical and riveting for children 
(and grownups), even if they never read the accompanying information 
placards which explain metamorphosis. 

The occasional confusion an escaping butterfly might cause us in 
faunistics, seems pale by comparison. 

Mike Gochfeld

 
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