Why butterflying?

As we approach the field season, hopefully starting with kinder weather than last year, it’s interesting to consider why we are so drawn to butterflies.

In the last issue of American Butterflies Jeffrey Glassberg explored various reasons for our interest. Three quotes seem apt: “Naturally, people will warm to pursuits that kindle some internal flame, the origins of which are probably unknowable,”

as well as the

“. . . many qualities of butterflies — their metamorphosis, the ephemeral nature of their lives, their brilliant and dramatic color patterns,”

and

” . . . butterflies are an ideal portal to the natural world: once interested in butterflies, one almost certainly becomes interested in other components of nature — in the whole web of life.”

But few people even realize that butterflying can be a serious interest, and when I tell folks about the Washington Butterfly Association most are astonished as well as fascinated that we exist. To acquaint more people with WBA and butterflying, we are starting to do more tabling events and developing more WBA-branded materials. Consider how you might help spread the word.

As one approach, we now offer some downloadable items on our website, including a butterfly food-plant brochure, a butterfly ID game (in PowerPoint), and butterfly flash cards. Please help yourselves and tell others where to find these.

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