NATIONAL LEARN ABOUT BUTTERFLIES DAY; MARCH 14

In keeping with the spirit of National Learn About Butterflies Day, celebrate by learning a little more about the wide range of butterflies. With over 20,000 types of butterflies worldwide today is the perfect day to learn about butterflies.

Their wing spans can range from 1/2 inch to 11 inches. Did you know that in their adult stage butterflies can live from a week up to a year, depending on the species? Many butterflies migrate over long distances the most famous migrations are those of the Monarch butterfly from Mexico to the northern USA and southern Canada, a distance of about 2500 to 3000 miles. That’s a lot of air miles!

HOW TO OBSERVE LEARN ABOUT BUTTERFLIES DAY

• Read up on butterflies or find a good sunny spot to watch some.
• Plant a wildflower garden to provide a habitat for them. You won’t regret it. You’ll have butterflies to enjoy all summer long! To learn more about pollinator gardens visit Million Garden Challenge.
• Spend the day learning more about butterflies and creating an environment that is friendly to them.
• Watch a documentary about butterflies like Wings of Life directed by Louis Schwartzberg and narrated by Meryl Streep. 
• Plant a variety of native flowers and plants. 
• Provide a water source. The butterflies will drink from the damp soil and leaves when you water your plants, too. 
• In the spring, don’t clean up dead leaves and brush too early. Wait until the temperature is consistently above 50°F. This will allow time for the species that overwinter in a chrysalis to emerge safely and without the threat of frost.
• Without pollinators like butterflies, we have no flowers or produce. Spend some time researching how to encourage them in your yard.
• #nationallearnaboutbutterflyday

I am going to give a side shout-out to the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. This vital organization gives education on butterflies and their decline.

The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation

Please visit the site