Lynda Hong Channel NewsAsia 12 Oct 10;
SINGAPORE: Nature enthusiasts on Tuesday planted 2,570 plants, shrubs and trees at Orchard Road to entice butterflies to breed there.
The patch of lush green at Penang Road Open Space, along with the 280 square metre garden on the top two floors of Orchard Central are the 14th designated butterfly sites of Singapore's Nature Society.
The 14th designated butterfly sites of the Butterfly Trail Project is a strategic partnership project among Nature Society (Singapore), National Parks Board, Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and Orchard Road Business Association.
But enthusiasts said growing a butterfly population at 12 storeys high was a challenge.
Nature Society Singapore's Butterfly Interest Group chairperson Gan Cheong Weei said: "They will not fly up in (an) open area because there is no shelter; no protection.
"But if there are tall trees, they will fly up. (Or) if there is enough population (there) and (if) there are host plants and flowering plants up there.
"But of course this is all nature and we try our best to bring it there and we cross our fingers (that) they will do what we want them to do".
-CNA/wk
Butterfly trail at Orchard Rd
The Straits Times 13 Oct 10;
GLAMOUR girls strutting down Orchard Road will face competition from the beauties of the insect world as the Butterfly Trail takes flight.
So far, 24 butterfly species have been observed around the trail, which features clusters of greenery selected to attract butterflies. The trail will run from the Botanic Gardens to Napier, Tanglin and Orchard roads.
Spearheaded by Nature Society (Singapore) and sponsored by property developer Far East Organization, it is expected to be completed by December next year.
It is hoped that 54 of Singapore's 280 butterfly species will be attracted to the area.
The second major stop was added to the trail yesterday at the Orchard Central mall rooftop and Penang Road Open Space, next to Killiney Road Post Office. The Nassim Road stop, opposite The St Regis Singapore, was launched in June.
There will be five major stops along the trail. The other three to be developed are the area behind Ngee Ann City, the space opposite the Istana and a third at Stamford Green.
Orchard Road's butterfly love nest
by Lynda Hong Ee Lyn Today Online Oct 13, 2010
SINGAPORE - Orchard Road just got greener in a move to lure butterflies to breed there.
Nature enthusiasts planted over 2,500 plants, shrubs and trees yesterday at the Penang Road open space. This, along with a 280 sq m garden on the top two floors of Orchard Central, are the Singapore's Nature Society's 14th designated butterfly site.
This is the latest addition to the Butterfly Trail Project, a strategic partnership project between Nature Society (Singapore), National Parks Board, Singapore Tourism Board and Orchard Road Business Association.
Still, enthusiasts say growing a butterfly population 12 storeys up atop Orchard Central is a challenge.
The chairperson of the Nature Society's Butterfly Interest Group, Mr Gan Cheong Weei, said: "Butterflies will not fly up to an open area if there is no shelter or protection. But if there are tall trees, just like the old angsana trees in the area, they will fly up - especially once the population of butterflies abounds at the Penang Road open space."
Having done their part, butterfly lovers now have to wait and see if the butterflies will flit on over to the greened shopping belt. "We will try our best but we will just have to cross our fingers and hope they will do what we want them to do," said Mr Gan.
