Natural History Wanderings

From the Association for Butterflies (AFB)

BUTTERFLY EDUCATION and AWARENESS DAY (BEAD), JUNE 1, 2013

Butterfly Education and Awareness Day (BEAD) is the first Saturday in June of each year

The Association For Butterflies is a non-profit organization dedicated to the welfare of butterflies through conservation, research, and promotion of butterfly gardening and butterfly farmers.

To make the public more aware of butterflies and their importance as pollinators and their place in nature, the AFB hereby declares the first Saturday of June as Butterfly Education and Awareness Day (BEAD).

The AFB believes that by the creation of a national day to help raise peoples’ awareness of butterflies, this insect will benefit as well as humanity.

Aesthetically pleasing, important pollinators, and excellent teachers of metamorphosis, the butterfly can be celebrated through a variety of activities:

Students and Scout groups:

(1) Study a butterfly’s life cycle

(2) Learn the word “butterfly” in different languages

(3) Find out if there is a state butterfly in the students’ states and study its habits

(4) Raise some butterflies in the classroom

(5) Celebrate by releasing butterflies at the end of the school year

(6) Plant a butterfly garden

Adults:

(1) Plant a butterfly garden at home

(2) Plant a butterfly garden in a public place for everyone’s enjoyment

(3) Celebrate a special occasion by releasing live butterflies

(4) Tell friends, relatives, and neighbors about Butterfly Awareness Day (BAD)

Nature Centers, Plant Nurseries, Wildlife Centers, Parks:

(1) Plan activities centered on attracting butterflies

(2) Promote the concept of caterpillars turning into butterflies and discourage the use of pesticides

(3) Plan a butterfly release to educate the public about butterflies

(4) Contact the press to help promote Butterfly Awareness Day (BAD)

Summer Camps:

(1) Plan an activity related to butterflies and other pollinators

(2) Take a short field trip to a natural area to study butterfly plants

EVERYONE: Contact local newspapers, TV stations and other media to help promote l Butterfly Education and Awareness Day (BEAD)!