[Closed] Butterflies

Haven't been but it's just down the road from me. I'll go and check it out.

Bear in mind she is Butterfly crazy

Then take her.

Or deal with the simmering resentment for the rest of your life.....

It'll be time together, surely that's a good thing?

Murray - Cheers I appreciate that!
Elfinsafety - or take the opportunity to teach her all about dealing witdisappointmentt 🙁

Ah come on, she's six! Indulge her; plenty of disappointment to come...

OK, I might, but it might involve smashing a certain porcelain pig to pay for the diesel 😈

Probably worth it........all I can say from experience is that if ye turn up with a rolled up newspaper and crazed glint in yer eyes, they won't let you in......... 😡

find a local meadow, hedgerow, woodland and look for them in your area. Much more rewarding finding them herself than you paying for potential disappointment, include a picnic and she'll appreciate that alot more than a 300 mile car journey..

Plant some buddleia in your garden, it'll attract those butterflies.

Sharki +1 plus think about getting a moth trap? Not flutterbies, but still fantastic results.

http://www.angleps.com/mothtraps.php

Yeah but a butterfly sanctuary will have stuff what you woon't find in't wild.

If she's got her heart set on it, then what's the harm in taking her? S'educational and that, innit? Nurturing.

Go on, don't be tight. Some kids demand iPads and trips to Disneyland.

sharki - we already do that it's prompted her interest in butterflies in the first place, I strategically mow a couple of acres to leave sections of grass of different lengths, plenty of wild flowers and patches of weeds to encourage her interest. She is happy to wonder with her butterfly net and her pet goat catching them, looking them up in her Collins Nature Guide (and their food plants in another) and then letting them go again. I am now thinking of making it part of a longer trip and taking in a couple of other places while we are at it. 🙂

geoffj -I had never thought of a moth trap - good plan!

Ahh yes moth traps. My Grandpa (an entomologist), specialised in moths and butterflies, he often took us out to nature reserves as chldren, to pick up the moth trap early mornings.
I remember it was a simple idea. Just a box with lamp, stuffed with lots of old egg cartons. Easy to sort out and make.

Super - not sure where you are, but if London is accessible, a trip to the natural history museum to look at the collection would be worthwhile.

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit-us/darwin-centre-visitors/marmont-centre/

You could even book a visit to the angela marmont centre for a behind the scenes rummage around. 🙂

geofj - good tip, thanks!

If it's anything like The London Butterfly House* was then take her, she'll love it. Having a large pretty butterfly gently land on her shoe/hand/nose/ear/knee isn't something she'll forget in a hurry (especially when you take a photo to remind her!).

*The world's first walk-through butterfly house was situated in the beautifully landscaped 200 acre parklands of Syon House. Sadly, and despite the current awareness of animal welfare and conservation, the Butterfly House closed its doors for the last time on 28th October 2007, so that the Duke of Northumberland could build a hotel complex on the land. How terribly sad.

Good to see the aristocracy are so caring about the environment, conservation and education....

Take her to Butterfly World already ffs.... 🙄

It's a 300 mile round trip and a fair old jaunt for a weekend access/custody day out, though we might camp overnight

Sure, on the day you have access, pick her up, drive 150 miles away and then set up over night in a tent. Should be fine. No need to bring any food, Gazza will be along soon enough to offer you some chicken. Good luck

Not very nice or helpful, is it Mung Bean? 🙁

Why not take her to a closer butterfly house? There's one halfway between rotherham and worksop that I've heard great things about from my friends who have been.

I don't know exactly where you are, but unless its the sw of the UK that one must be closer!

Not very nice or helpful, is it Mung Bean?

He certainly stooped low in order to appear funny in that one.

Take her. You'll be best dad ever! 🙂

go on to Amazon and buy a butterfly kit.
A little tent arrives in the post then send off for some eggs.
A month or so of caterpillars/cocoons/butterfiles for only 20 quid.

go on to Amazon and buy a butterfly kit.
A little tent arrives in the post then send off for some eggs.
A month or so of caterpillars/cocoons/butterfiles for only 20 quid.

That sounds pretty damn cool.

Or take her to the Amazon..

Sounds like a decent kid, treat her, you'll regret it for far longer than she will..

Why not take her to a closer butterfly house? There's one halfway between rotherham and worksop that I've heard great things about from my friends who have been.

I don't think that exists. It's probably an urban moth.

Sorry 😳

Is a myth a female moth?

Good butterfly place on Anglesea from memory

Not very nice or helpful, is it Mung Bean?

Oh, so nice and helpful is what we're looking for all of a sudden.

I've got no kids of my own, but when I was a kid I got taken on steam train rides, to traction engine rallies, watching speedway & scrambling and stuff like that.
I still remember it 40 years later.
If butterflies are her thing, then do it.

As a child we used to collect butterfly chysalis, pop them in the airing cupboardand wait.
It still amazes me how nature takes its course, and out of an ugly hard, bean shaped shell, appears the most beautiful creature.

It still amazes me how nature takes its course, and out of an ugly hard, bean shaped shell, appears the most beautiful creature

There's hope for us all

Just down the road from me too. Haven't been, but some work colleagues have and said it was pretty rubbish in a sort of half finished sort of way, and might be better when it's fully completed.

Thanks for all the help, going to search on Amazon now! I can't see her mother going for the hatching insects in the airing cupboard idea though and I haven't got an airing cupboard.

CharlieMungus - I wasn't planning on a tent with no food, I though I might hitch up my 26 feet ling caravan with air con, central heating, double glazing, etc. and hitch it behind my 4x4, but didn't't want to appear snobbish 😉

[i]"...26 feet long caravan with air con, central heating, double glazing..."[/i], but no airing cupboard ? 🙁

"...26 feet long caravan with air con, central heating, double glazing...", but no airing cupboard ?

I'm sure he meant he didn't have one in the main house, obviously the servants quarters have an airing cupboard, but one doesn't venture down there.

26 feet ling caravan

Is that Ling as the fish or heather?

26' Ling caravan.. 8O[img] [/img]

what's the word? rhymes with anchor? but I'm confident that's the reaction you were hoping for

Lo @ Midland TrailquestsGraham.

P.S could you get a shorter user name please?

what's the word? rhymes with anchor?

Thank ya?

Think nothing of it, well, not much anyway.

Having weighed up all the options and all the wise advice (and the not so wise) looks like I'm going to have to take her. Thanks Everyone (even Charlie) 🙂

Thanks Everyone (even Charlie)

No need, i thought you'd already thanked me here

what's the word? rhymes with anchor?

Good on you for taking her. Have a great time.
Glad I could help 🙂