Butterfly Conservation SA is a community organisation promoting the conservation and sound management of areas of ecological significance to butterflies, especially areas of remnant native vegetation.  We seek to increase public awareness of the importance of invertebrate biodiversity.

For the 2022 SA Nature Festival ( click here for more about the festival ) we offered something for everyone, with events related to the Chequered Copper (Lucia limbaria) butterfly.   Creating artworks; storytelling about a lifecycle of mutual symbiosis; “augmented reality” with interpretations of the life cycle; and a fantastic “virtual reality” experience, where people could immerse themselves in “herding caterpillars”!

• Thursday 6^th – Sunday 16^th October   Herding Caterpillars- the “Augmented Reality” experience.  A walk past SA Museum lawns, the Uni SA Museum of Design, and Victoria Park 16, where “augmented reality triggers” featured Herding Caterpillars
  https://www.naturefestival.org.au/event/herding-caterpillars-the-augmented-reality-ar-experience
  
• Tuesday 11^th October 11:00-13:00  ‘Come and See’ the mutual symbiosis between the ant, caterpillar and the Chequered Copper butterfly, in the grassland of Pakapakanthi/Victoria Park/Park 16.
  3 activities (repeated 3 times across the 2 hours):
  1) Greg Coote and Andrew Crompton monitoring plants, ants and butterflies;
  2) Story of the Chequered Copper by Kate McMurray – mutual symbiosis in story form; and
  3) Drawing/painting all parts of the life cycle with Kathleen Patitsas – for young and old.
  https://www.naturefestival.org.au/event/chequered-copper-lucia-limbaria-butterfly-come-and-see-day

• Thursday – Saturday 13^th – 15^th October  11:00-16:00
  
  Sharing in making art inspired by the Chequered Copper butterfly.  In partnership with Butterfly Conservation SA, artist Kathleen Patitsas drew and encourage others to draw, aspects of the life cycle of the Chequered Copper butterfly, based on photos taken by Greg Coote, a Friend of the Chequered Copper group member. This was a great opportunity for young and old to connect with nature in the quiet and comfort of the Jervois Room at the Mortlock Library
  https://www.naturefestival.org.au/event/chequered-copper

• Saturday 15^th October  1230-1600   Live story telling
  Have you heard the story of the ants that look after the caterpillars? The Butterflies who look for the ants?
  We heard the true story told by Kate McMurray!    (Mortlock Library, North Terrace)
  TEND: Live storytelling about the ants who herd the caterpillars | Nature Festival SA

• Friday – Sunday 14^th – 16^th October  12:00-17:00   “Herding Caterpillars in Virtual Reality” 
  
  Butterfly Conservation SA and Rosina Possingham presented an innovative virtual reality experience exploring symbiosis of the ant, caterpillar and host plant of the Chequered Copper Butterfly, in the Institute Building, North Terrace
  See how this came to be by clicking here!
  https://www.naturefestival.org.au/event/herding-caterpillars-the-vr-experience