Québec could soon have an official butterfly, if a bill tabled to the National Assembly by Argenteuil member of the legislature Agnès Grondin is approved.
On May 26, Grondin, tabled Bill 793 – an act to recognize the admiral butterfly as the official insect emblem of Québec.
The bill stems from an initiative undertaken in 2017 by the Société entomologie du Québec and several of its partners.
The admiral – a species of butterfly which is very present in most of the inhabited regions of Quebec – was selected following a consultation that received feedback from more than 230,000 people.
“I am happy to contribute to the recognition of the admiral butterfly as an entomological emblem, a project that has arisen in the community for years and supported by many organizations,” Grondin said. “Quebecers are proud of their nature and I am delighted to table this bill which highlights Québec’s biodiversity.”
The Province of Québec already has other official emblems. The snowy owl is the official bird, the yellow birch is the official tree, and the blue flag (iris versicolor) is the official flower.
An admiral butterfly is featured on the sign outside Agnès Grondin’s office on rue Principale in Lachute.
