Elusive, Illusory Butterflies

A Flitting Fleeting Feeling of Satisfaction: What’s Fantasy, What’s real?

 

Orlando, Florida:  “Harry’s Big Adventure: My Bug World” was at Orlando Science Center through January 1, 2012. The exhibit, which opened September 24, 2011, studies the habitats, sights, sounds and ecosystem of insects, and how insects affect the environment and humans, and features the “host” Harry, a Chinese praying mantis. There were interactive displays and a chance to taste bug-based snacks.

It was all jolly interesting, but perhaps the most fascinating was the big screen across which many projected butterflies were flitting. When someone stood in front of the screen, creating a shadow, the butterflies would settle on the shadow’s shoulders, head and arms. An illusion, as you feel as though the butterflies have in fact landed on you! It’s what we’ve always wished for at the St Louis Butterfly House—a special feeling satisfied here by technology. We can almost believe these creatures are real.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can check earlier articles on the special Butterfly Exhibits at the St Louis Butterfly House. There they have started a new tradition with the March Morpho Mania displays. We were able to attend the first 3, but missed the one this year (#4), unfortunately. As people walk around the Butterfly House they all always wish that the gentle creatures would land briefly on them.

 

http://viviennemackie.wordpress.com/2008/04/07/march-morpho-mania/  (1^st annual)

http://viviennemackie.wordpress.com/masterpiece-of-the-week/march/

http://viviennemackie.wordpress.com/2009/03/24/more-march-mania-in-the-butterfly-house/ (2^nd annual)

http://viviennemackie.wordpress.com/2010/03/10/more-marvelous-morphos/  (3^rd annual)

 

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