Happy Learn About Butterflies Day!
March 14th is Learn About Butterflies Day–help us celebrate!
March 14th is Learn About Butterflies Day–It may seem a bit premature to talk about insects that won’t reappear for another month or two, but our butterfly greenhouse opens in just over a month, so now’s the perfect time to brush up on your butterfly knowledge.
Also, it’s a good excuse to do these fun activities with your kids!
Why You Should Learn About Butterflies
1. They’re fascinating creatures.
Butterflies are beautiful creatures that come in countless shapes, sizes, and colors. They live on every continent except Antarctica, and they’ve been around for at least 50 million years! They can’t hear (they sense vibrations like snakes), they taste through their feet, and some migrate up to 2,000 miles! Impressive, huh?
2. They help the environment.
Butterflies, like bees and other insects, are great pollinators; they help plants, trees, and shrubs to reproduce. Butterflies play an integral part in the food chain and their individual ecosystems. They also help scientific researchers by serving as indicators for how things affect our environment.
3. The more we know, the more we can help.
Due to factors such as climate change and habitat destruction, over 20 species in the U.S. are endangered or threatened. Though not yet considered a threatened species, Monarch populations have also been declining. The good news is, there are lots of things we can do to help–we just need to know a few things first!
How You Can Learn About Butterflies
1. Good ol’ fashioned BOOKS
We’ve got great resources on butterflies (for all ages) in the Natural Selections Gift Shop!
2. Online Resources (Just be careful–not every source is a good one!)
A few good sources:
North American Butterfly Association
Sponsor a garden at the National Butterfly Center
OR Create your own butterfly garden!
3. Visit Us
Come see these beauties up close from April 25 to November 1, 2015. Learn about different species, their life cycle, and other fun facts. We now offer the chance to feed the butterflies, too! Check out our Butterflies page for more information.
Happy Learn About Butterflies Day–hope to see you soon!
Kalin Palmatier
