The world is full of people who love animals and, without hesitation, will go the extra mile to help, save and protect them from harm. This usually applies to species with fur and feathers but in this instance, a butterfly was saved by having its wings repaired.
Katie VanBlaricum, founder of Insect Art repairs, makes jewelry from real insects and is an expert at repairing and transplanting butterfly wings for her stunning creations. No easy task considering how delicate and fragile the wings are.
In an interview with Bored Panda, Katie explained the wing surgery:
“It is not difficult for me to repair the wings since I work with dead insects for a living. It takes me less than 5 minutes to do the repair. You have to work fast, to avoid stressing the butterfly out any more than necessary.”
“I have a friend who works at a butterfly conservatory, and I have seen his “Frankenstein” butterflies flying around there, so I knew it was possible. I asked him for advice, as well as consulting the internet,” Katie said.
“I have always been interested in insects and wildlife. My “Insect Art” business has been around for nearly 14 years now, and I make my living buying and selling insect specimens for art and science. They always come from sustainable farmed sources.”
“I did take some entomology classes in college, but my degree was in Anthropology. My favorite thing about insects is their diversity,” Katie explained. “Any shape or color or behavior you can dream up, there’s an insect for that! I am very much inspired by people like Steve Irwin whose passion it was to make the world love the underappreciated animals.”
“This one was deformed out of the chrysalis, so I did a wing transplant. Hoping he can fly tomorrow,” Katie posted on her Facebook page, explaining that the insect had problems flying from the moment it was born.
The surgery was successful, enabling the Monarch butterfly to fly and do what it’s born to do.
To create her insect jewelry, Katie re-hydrates them to make them look natural and lifelike. To complete a piece “takes several days, and each end result is unique,” she said.
“I have always been interested in insects and wildlife. My “Insect Art” business has been around for nearly 14 years now, and I make my living buying and selling insect specimens for art and science. They always come from sustainable farmed sources.”
“I did take some entomology classes in college, but my degree was in Anthropology. My favorite thing about insects is their diversity,” Katie elaborated. “Any shape or color or behavior you can dream up, there’s an insect for that! I am very much inspired by people like Steve Irwin whose passion it was to make the world love the underappreciated animals.”
Monarch butterflies, also known as milkweed, the common tiger, the wanderer, and the black veined brown have a wingspan of 3.5 to 4 inches (8.9 to 10.2 cm). In autumn, Monarch butterflies migrate south to a warmer climate, flying thousands of miles.
More info: InsectArtOnline.com | Facebook
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Here is a step-by-step on how she helps butterflies fly again
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The post Zoo Asks For Woman’s Help In Repairing Butterfly’s Wings, She Gives It A Transplant appeared first on Educate Inspire Change.