Last Variegated Frit of the season

I released the last Variegated Fritillary two days ago. Two had formed their chrysalises over a month ago and they were kept in the coolness of the garage. Since it was a warm day with the promise of a few more warm days, I released it. There are still chrysanthemums blooming, so there are a few nectar sources left. The tropical milkweed and lantana has frozen. The passionvine is also about gone for this year. It has been a good butterfly season here in Central Virginia.

A wedding butterfly release

Here's a blog that discusses a couple who released butterflies at their wedding:
heatherhelvey.blogspot.com/2009/11/wedding-butterflys.html

Social Butterflies' last monarch!

My last raised Monarch of 2009 finally emerged today. I will release it in two days when the sun returns and it is a bit warmer. I don't have any more tags left to tag it, but I will wish it adios and good luck on its journey to Mexico. I have conducted numerous Monarch tagging classes this fall and they are becoming more popular with library patrons, school children, and anyone who is interested in Monarch migration. I also gave a program at the Association For Butterflies symposium last weekend on migration and the attendees were able to tag their own Monarchs. Since it was chilly and overcast, I sent them south with one of the directors of the Association to release them where it was warmer. I collected common milkweed seeds yesterday in the field. It will be about 6 more months before I'll start raising Monarchs again.

Celebrate The First National Butterfly Awareness Day!

The Association For Butterflies announces the first National Butterfly Awareness Day June 6, 2009. This day is set aside for all people throughout the United States to celebrate butterflies. "Social Butterflies" www.socialbtrflies.com will be releasing butterflies in Charlottesville, VA. We encourage people to not only release butterflies, but to consider planting a butterfly garden to help attract these beautiful insects. Students may want to release some at their graduation ceremonies. Studies of a butterfly's lifecycle will be encouraged. We want to make people more aware of butterflies and their importance as pollinators. Besides bees, butterflies are the next best pollinators, and as we know, we need pollinators if we like to eat! Releasing butterflies is a sound ecological way to help increase the population during the warm months. Celebrate nature's most beautiful creature on June 6, 2009. Tell your friends about National Butterfly Awareness Day.