Educational Opportunities & Presentations

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Butterflies 101

A butterfly program especially designed for children under 10.
Includes LIVE butterflies and caterpillars, pass-around specimens, games and stories of special interest to youngsters.

      (1) Introduction and review of butterfly life cycle using picture poster. May include information about ButterfliZ of Iowa (what a butterfly farm is, why we raise butterflies, how we became interested in butterflies).
      (2) Q & A interaction with group:
          What’s the difference between a butterfly & a moth?

          How many butterflies are there in the world?

          How many are there in Iowa? What’s the biggest butterfly?

          What’s the smallest? How log do they live?

          What do they eat? Where do they go when it rains?

          Where does the word “butterfly” come from?
      (3) Discussion of butterflies. Includes pass around specimens of eggs, chrysalis and naturally-expired butterflies.

           Information on territories, mating, personality traits and migration.
      (4) Iowa Native Butterflies:  Monarchs     Mourning Cloaks     Swallowtails     Buckeyes           Gulfs      Whites     Red Admiral     Painted Lady     Viceroy
      (5) Monarch Tagging: explanation of, reasons for, demonstration.

            (August 15th through about October 1st)
      (6) Review and wrap up.

Building a Backyard Butterfly Habitat

Lots of flowers and not as many butterflies? What do butterflies need to be attracted to your garden? This program will give you those answers and tell you what you need to do to attract and keep butterflies in your area. Includes butterfly habitat design, tips and some "secrets" to a successful butterfly habitat. Provides information to meet qualification for Backyard Habitat Status from the national Wildlife Federation as well as LIVE butterflies.

   (1) Introduction of ButterfliZ of Iowa and how we started

   (2) Butterfly Fun Facts:

               What’s the difference between a butterfly and a moth?

               Where do butterflies go when it rains?

               What’s the biggest butterfly? What’s the smallest?

               How long do they live?

   (3) Back Yard Habitats:

                The difference between Host Food and Nectar Sources

                What are bsck yard habitats? Why do we need them?

                Who benefits from them?

   (4) Initial Garden Set Up:

                size and shape; sun and shade; topography of land

   (5) All butterflies need: a wind break; nectar and host food; water; shade and shelter

   (6) Plants to encourage mating and egg laying; healthy larvae;

                  protection for chrysalis and beautiful, happy butterflies

   (7) Some of the extras include butterfly houses, feeding stations,

                  bird houses, lady bugs, dragonflies and bees

   (8) Oh those lovely creatures! butterflies and fruit; territories and

                  mating; hiding from predators; clustering and sleeping; finding mates

   (9) More than Monarchs -- meet other Iowa native butterflies:

              Mourning Cloaks, Swallowtails, Red Admirals. Blues, Sulphurs,

              Buckeyes, Whites, and more!

   (10) Review, wrap up and Question & Answer Period

Those Magnificent Monarchs: Mating to Migration

When is a monarch not a butterfly?
Find out in our newest educational presentation.
Presentations available year-round, but includes tagging demonstration
August 15 through October 15 every year.