Butterfly Education and Awareness Day
Understanding the life cycles and habitats of these pollinators fosters conservation efforts and biodiversity appreciation.
In recent years, the plight of butterflies has become under threat, with many places in the world finding diminished populations of these fascinating insects. In the UK, at least half of the remaining butterflies in the country are under threat. And in the United States, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service now lists the butterfly on the Endangered Species list as ‘threatened’.
Butterfly Education and Awareness Day is here to increase public knowledge and information about the situation – encouraging more conservation groups, policy makers. and concerned citizens to participate and act on opportunities to make the world a more welcome space for these important creatures.
History of Butterfly Education and Awareness Day
The first celebration of Butterfly Education and Awareness Day (BEAD) took place in 1992 when it was organized by the Association for Butterflies with the purpose of creating more opportunities to advance the cause of these majestic flying creatures. The hope is to encourage more individuals and groups to get involved with proactive tasks such as building butterfly gardens while creating new or restoring older habitats that house butterflies.
How to Celebrate Butterfly Education and Awareness Day
Get ready to experience some grace and beauty – and learn something too! Get involved with Butterfly Education and Awareness Day, starting with some of these ideas:
Visit a Butterfly Pavilion
One excellent way to celebrate Butterfly Education and Awareness Day is to get up close and personal with them! Take this opportunity to schedule a family visit or school class trip to enjoy and appreciate these majestic and beautiful insects.
Learn More Facts About Butterflies
Since this event is all about education, teachers and parents can take this time to create lesson plans and learning opportunities for children (and adults!) to grow in their understanding of butterflies. Others might simply want to share some fun facts in honor of Butterfly Education and Awareness Day. This might include information about these insects, including some of these bits of trivia:
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A group of these insects might be called a “flutter of butterflies”
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Butterflies can taste with their feet
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These winged creatures can see UV light and have 6,000 lenses in their eyes
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The planet has more than 165,000 known species of butterflies on every continent except Antarctica
Create a Butterfly Friendly Garden
A range of details can go into planning and creating an entire garden that is specifically formed to attract certain species of butterflies. But for those who are simply interested in making their green spaces a bit more friendly to these winged creatures, it doesn’t need to be complicated or difficult. Talk to a gardening expert or check out some of these tips to get started:
- Start by choosing a number of plants that are natural to the local area and attract butterflies
- Provide a shelter, like trees or shrubs, that can help protect butterflies from wind and rain
- Make water available in shallow puddles, birdbaths and moist, sandy areas
- Choose a spot that stays warm and gets at least 6 hours of sunlight per day (early in the day) and add pavement or exposed rocks to provide more heat
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