Butterfly Festival
Butterfly Cages for Classrooms
EmilyAnn Theatre and Gardens in Wimberley, Texas
Painted Lady at Jacob’s Well Natural Area, May 2019 Photo: courtesy Betsy Cross
“Butterflies are nature’s angels. They remind us what a gift it is to be alive.” —Robyn Nola
Carolyn Langlinais
Before participating in the Butterfly Cages for Classrooms volunteer opportunity, I wanted to learn more about the history of the project and the participation by the Hays County Chapter. A quick search of The Hays Humm told me that our chapter has been a partner in the project since 2006. That’s 18 years collaborating to bring butterfly science to schools! According to the article, penned by Mary Dow Ross in September 2019, the initial caterpillar count was 36 in 1999. Compare that to the 5,000 wrangled this year, and it’s easy to see why the Hays County Chapter of Texas Master Naturalist™ is such a valuable part of the process.
Entering EmilyAnn Theatre and seeing all those empty cages was quite daunting, but many hands made for quick work. Photo: courtesy Carolyn Langlinais
Leigh Peterson (HCMN Class of 2015, Cypresses) taught us how to be worm wranglers, imparting tips and tricks for handling caterpillars, and teaching us how to create a completed butterfly cage, ready to be delivered to a local school.
We took caterpillars from their plastic bins and used paint brushes to deposit one caterpillar into a small cup, and a lid was snapped on. The caterpillar cups were placed in empty egg cartons. Each cage received 16 caterpillars.
The cages were lined with paper towels, outfitted with a wire rack and a spray bottle.
Photo: courtesy Carolyn Langlinais
The local Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) delivered completed cages to area schools.
What about plants to eat, you ask? Each cup had Painted Lady caterpillar food already inside. The caterpillars will eat this mixture, going through several instars until they are ready to pupate. They will climb to the lid of the cup, spin a thread to hang from, and become a pupa. The children, now in charge, will remove the lid from the cup and place it on top of the wire rack, with the pupa hanging down between the bars. This will allow the pupa room to become a butterfly.
Photo: courtesy Carolyn Langlinais
Photo: courtesy Carolyn Langlinais
Photo: courtesy Carolyn Langlinais
Hays County Master Naturalists make quick work of the worm wrangling. Photo: courtesy Carolyn Langlinais
A final check that everything is ready to go is performed by EmilyAnn Theatre and Garden’s Executive Director Ann Rolling and Hays County Master Naturalist member Sarah Carlisle (HCMN Class of 2016, Ravens). Photo: courtesy Carolyn Langlinais
What becomes of all these butterflies?
This year celebrates the 24th Annual Butterfly Festival, held the third Saturday in April, at EmilyAnn Theatre and Gardens, where the butterflies are released. Each class knows what time their butterflies will be released.
This Painted Lady was one of thousands released at the Butterfly Festival in Wimberley, Texas, on April 20, 2024. Photo: courtesy Betsy Cross
Taking Wing
The 24th Annual Butterfly Festival
HCMN Mary O’Hara sets up the Hays County Master Naturalist booth.
Photos courtesy Betsy Cross
HCMNs talk with visitors about the Master Naturalist program.
HCMN Beth Barham readies the Garden Room enclosure for visitors, where Painted Lady butterflies were flying freely.
Small hands are intuitively gentle to the new butterflies.
HCMNs manage each 30-minute release schedule.
Butterfly cages are poised and queued up for the next release.
HCMNs prepare to deliver the next set of cages.
It was fun to see the children’s reactions.
Painted Lady butterflies are eager to fly.
Every child who steps up is assisted in selecting a butterfly.
This child carefully removes his butterfly from the cage.
The butterflies are easily handled using watermelon perches.
Children share their butterflies with one another…
… and are mesmerized by the butterflies’ beauty and gentleness.
Slideshow: courtesy Betsy Cross