Urquhart Butterfly Garden

I recently visited the Urquhart Butterfly Garden in Dundas. The gardens were named for pioneering entomologists, Dr. Frederick and Norah Urquhart, who after 40 years of research solved the mystery of the migrating monarchs. The construction of Canada's first municipal butterfly garden began in 1994. It is maintained by volunteers without the use of pesticide. https://urquhartbutterfly.com/about

The dark scent glands on the hind wings of male Monarch butterflies are visible on this individual.

Giant Swallowtail on Butterfly Bush

The garden is also host to many other species including American Goldfinch that find seeds and occasionally tiny larva to eat.

The property adjacent to the gardens is called Canal Park and is the site of the former Veldhuis Greenhouses which specialized in cacti. Once the property was sold to the Hamilton Conservation Authority, the chimney from the family home was saved to continue as a nesting site for Chimney Swifts!

A few educational signs dot the trails to tell the history of the area and restoration process to improve the green space.

Bumble Bees enjoying a flower