The Saturnia Cecropia Moth and the Cockspur Hawthorn plant are Châteauguay’s new entomological and vegetative emblems. They join two other symbols of the city’s identity: the municipal motto “Stronger United” and the Great Blue Heron.
Translation Amanda Bennett
Mayor Eric Allard and two students who helped select the moth made the announcement at Châteauguay’s Fernand-Seguin Ecological Centre on the morning of June 15th.
The moth was chosen by “more than half of the students from 63 primary schools” in the region as part of a workshop with Héritage Saint-Bernard from March to April,” said Véronique Chang, the organization’s head of environmental education.
Nearly 1,600 young people in grades 3-6 took part in “a discovery, handling, observation and tasting workshop, at the end of which they were invited to choose from among five insect species proposed by experts”, according to the press release.
The city’s insect stood out from the other four, which included the Common eastern bumblebee, the Dog-day cicada, the Giant water bug and the Common green darner. One of the selection criteria was that the insects should be “observable in the Châteauguay area”.
The theatrical presentation on the metamorphosis of the Saturnia cecropia caterpillar during the workshop “greatly interested the children, which led to the moth being selected,” said Ms. Chang.
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Two students who helped choose the entomological emblem, accompanied by Mayor Eric Allard, unveiled the floral emblem. (Photo: Le Soleil – Tristan Ouimet)
Héritage Saint-Bernard held two votes, one by a show of hands among the pupils “to get an idea,” and the other “more official” by class, she adds.
“We let the young people choose because they are the next generation of Châteauguay. When they become adults, they’ll be able to say they were the ones who chose one of the emblems that represents our city,” said Mr. Allard.
The Chosen Plant
According to the press release, the city chose its vegetation symbol in line with “its strategy and actions to preserve biodiversity and natural environments.”
The Hawthorn is “one of the indigenous species threatened and protected by the Quebec government since 2022, and the only known remaining population in Quebec is located in the Châteauguay-Léry green corridor sector,” the release added.
Those factors prompted the municipality to designate this type of tree as an emblem,” the Mayor said.
The new emblems were presented as part of the City of Châteauguay’s 350th.