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The symbol of the butterfly in Orange County, California represents strength, ingenuity, innovation, and hope. Butterflies go through a metamorphosis and need the proper environmental factors to flourish. Each butterfly is unique. Butterflies move lyrically and with grace bringing light and beauty to our world. The butterfly is an OC symbol for creativity and community.>
In the Native American culture the butterfly means transformation. A butterfly fearlessly leaves the safety of its cocoon to meet a new world in a new form, trusting its untried wings to allow it to fly. It is a powerful symbol for anyone contemplating or in the midst of a major change.
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It has served as a metaphor of hope and the longed for spiritual transformation of the soul as well as the transformation of the body. For instance, among the Temne people of Sierra Leone, West Africa, the butterfly, particularly
Dana chrysippus, is associated with the moon as its life cycle. During the initiation ceremony a woman wearing a butterfly mask dances in a manner suggestive of fluttering butterflies and the transformation of pupa into butterfly is seen as analogous to the transformation of an immature girl into a beautiful woman.
In the ancient Mexican cultures, butterflies represent warriors and the soul.
In ancient Greek the word for butterfly is "psyche" which means "soul", and was also the name of Eros' human lover. A form of the Russian language refers to butterflies as "dushichka" which is derived from "dusha", which means "soul".
In Mandarin the word for butterfly is "hu-tieh". "Tieh" means "seventy years", so therefore butterflies have become somewhat of a symbolic pun for longevity. In the Chinese culture it is also a representative of a young man and woman in love.
In the Japanese culture a butterfly represents young maidens or marital bliss. Also in Japan, many family crests have designs based on butterflies.
There are four stages of development with metamorphosis.
- Egg Stage: Females will lay eggs on food plants that her young will need for feeding. The shape of butterfly eggs is remarkably varied.
- Larva Stage: In this stage, a caterpillar eats a lot, like an eating machine. When first hatched the larva or caterpillar is very small indeed, just a few millimeters long. Caterpillars feed for a large part of their time, consuming an ever-increasing amount of food as they get rapidly larger. When a caterpillar is fully grown it takes time to wander in search of a suitable pupation site. Different species pupate in different ways. A short while after the larva has attached itself with a silken pad the change to a pupa begins.
- Chrysalis Stage: Once the caterpillar has transformed into a pupa a remarkable process occurs transforming the contents of the pupa into an adult butterfly. This can take as little as two weeks, but some species hibernate in this stage, only hatching in the warmth of spring. As the pupa is unable to avoid any potential predators they tend to be quite well camouflaged, indeed some form under the ground. Just before the adult butterfly hatches the pupa skin becomes transparent and the wing pattern is visible inside.
- Adult Stage: The adult butterfly will push the pupa case open and pull itself free from the case. Its body will be full of fluid. Shortly after the wings have been pumped full of fluid and dried, all the leftover products of the metamorphosis are excreted. At this point, the process is completed and a butterfly will fly freely.
Host Foods: Each species of butterfly has only a few types of host plants on which they lay their eggs.
Nectar Plant: Butterflies feed from the nectar found inside flowers. A steady source of water or moisture is also necessary for them to stay healthy. Sunlight is especially important for the health and well being of butterflies. They are extremely sensitive to temperature, and do their best when the temperatures are at least 80 degrees F. or above. Even though warm temperatures are vitally important, they will need a sheltered area to retreat to when the sun is at its hottest.
California Western Monarch Day - Each spring the Western Monarch flies north as the milkweed plants come into bloom. Returning in the fall, the tens of thousands of Western Monarchs over-winter along the California Coast in state parks clinging in huge clusters to the foliage of tree and shrubs. On February 5th (the official California Western Monarch Day) a high concentration of Western Monarch Butterflies arrive from as far north as Canada to over-winter for a six months season in the warmth and protection of California Coast.
Helping the Environment: Butterflies, especially the migrating California monarch, are becoming scarce as their native host and nectar plants are being lost. By growing plants that attract butterflies and are indigenous to California, we not only provide the host and food for the butterfly but we reduce the extra chemical fertilizers and water that creates water run-off that adversely effects our environment.
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