Carolyn Heberlein and I participated in the Sammamish Earth Day celebration with a WBA informational table displaying educational and outreach materials. After performing butterfly surveys at Evan’s Creek Preserve in 2023, WBA was invited to participate in the Sammamish event this year. It is a popular event in the Sammamish community and was well attended, a good percentage were young families. Crafts, a petting zoo, performances and informational booths kept visitors engaged.

Al Wagar had created materials when he organized tabling events in the past, and it was fun putting some of them to use once again. We had a poster and models illustrating metamorphosis. Since many students had raised Painted Ladies during their schooling, it was a good conversation starter. One young girl confidently went through all the stages of metamorphosis using the terms larva and pupa, was proud to be able to do so. Our small butterfly collection, an Al creation, drew comments of wonder and generated questions.

Several adults remarked that they didn’t know we had so many beautiful butterflies which segued nicely to our resource books by Bob Pyle, Caitlin LaBar, David James and Dave Nunnallee. WBA brochures and newly created bookmarks by several of our members were a popular giveaway. I’m always surprised at how much kids love small stickers! Most of our young visitors walked away with a butterfly sticker on a hand or shirt. Another giveaway was Al’s Western Tiger Swallowtail print that we trans- formed into a flying butterfly by attaching it to a clothespin. Carolyn and I were kept very busy. We had fun with the kids and good conversations with the adults. The Sammamish Botanical Society was giving away free garden plants…a giveaway for us too. (I now have a Garry Oak!)

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