NABA's MISSION STATEMENT:
To promote nonconsumptive, recreational butterflying and to increase
the public's enjoyment, knowledge and conservation of butterflies.

Our chapter had a display table at the Conservation Forum at the St. Louis Zoo's Living World on Wednesday, October 27. For some of us, this was much more exciting than the dismal GAME 4 of the World Series that the St. Louis Cardinals lost to the Red Sox! This year's forum centered on issues related to conservation in Missouri: Besides the usual colorful and informative items in our chapter display, Jim Ziebol provided some new photos of Texas butterflies and showed several local nature videos, which drew much interest from Forum attendees.Many thanks to Jim for providing the photos and videos, and for assisting with the display for this event. Watch for the NABA display table at an event near you in 2005!

2. SEPTEMBER 2004 BUTTERFLY REPORT by Yvonne HomeyerButterfly activity increased in early September, then tapered off by the end of the month. Bill Rowe counted over 18 species at Shaw Nature Reserve on 9/6, including 8 N. Pearly-eyes, 2 Wood-Nymphs, 2 Monarchs, 1 Painted Lady, 8 Great-Spangled Fritillaries, 2 Buckeyes and 2 Red-spotted Purples. On 9/7 at Horseshoe Lake, Jim Ziebol found 25 Dogface, 20 Cloudless, 4 Little Yellow, 1 Sleepy Orange, 12 Gray Hairstreaks, 18 Eastern Tailed-Blues, 25 Pearl Crescents, 21 Viceroy, 5 Dun, 1 Clouded Skipper, an astounding 12 Dukes’ Skippers (a rare wetlands species). On 9/8 at Hilda Young, Jim observed Tiger Swallowtail (black female form), 2 Cabbage Whites, 10 Orange Sulphurs, Gray Hairstreak, 6 Peck’s Skippers, 1 Silver-spotted Skipper, and 1 Clouded Skipper.On 9/9, butterflies were numerous at the Green Center in University City. Dianne Benjamin and Jim Ziebol counted 2 Cabbage Whites, 10 Orange Sulphurs, 2 Clouded Sulphurs, 8 Cloudless, 1 Gray Hairstreak, a black-form Tiger, 2 Monarchs, 1 Clouded Skipper, 2 Fiery, 12 Sachem, 6 Peck's and 1 Silver-spotted. Clouded Skipper is a site record for The Green Center.On 9/18 at Busch Wildlife, Scott Marshall found a Harvester, one of our rarest butterflies. Our last outing of the year took place on 9/19 at Busch Wildlife. Jim Ziebol, Dave Berry, Kraig Paradise, Mary-Eileen Rufkahr, Linda Virga, Jeannie Moe and Yvonne Homeyer found 26 species, including 1 Red-banded and 2 Gray Hairstreaks, 6 Gray Commas, several Monarchs,1Giant Swallowtail, and 1 Dainty Sulphur. More Clouded Skippers were seen on 9/24 by Jim Ziebol, with 1 at Hilda Young and 2 at Route 66 S.P.A Tawny Emperor at Hilda Young on 9/25 was a nice find (JZ, YH). Pipevine Swallowtail, Sleepy Orange, Pearl Crescent and Wild Indigo Duskywing were seen at Route 66 on 9/25; only a couple of Monarchs were noted. (JZ, YH). On 9/26, Yvonne and Jim visited several sites in St. Charles County. A Painted Lady, scarce this year, was seen at Riverlands; Dainty Sulphur, Sleepy Orange, Gray Comma, Buckeye, and Common Checkered-Skipper were found at Dresser Island; a female Horace's Duskywing was seen at Confluence State Park; and a Clouded Skipper was present at Busch Wildlife.We have had more reports of Clouded Skipper this summer than any previous summer. These individuals are dispersals, or migrants, like Cloudless and Dainty Sulphur, Painted Lady, and Buckeye. According to Glassberg's range map in Butterflies through Binoculars: the East, the Clouded Skipper's breeding territory stops at the Arkansas-Missouri border.Harvesters were seen again this August by Mark Peters at his Jefferson County property. Dave Berry, Karen Noss and Tom Terrific have all found Monarch chrysalises in their yards. A Monarch hitched a ride on Anne Craver's car for about a mile before it flew off. Tom Krauska saw Spicebush Swallowtail, Black Swallowtail and Cabbage White caterpillars in his garden.

CONTRIBUTORS: Dianne Benjamin, Torrey Berger, Dave Berry, Dennis Bozzay, Anne Craver, Ann Earley, Ron Goetz, Yvonne Homeyer, Tom "Terrific" Krauska, Scott & Annie Marshall, Jeannie Moe, Kraig Paradise, Mark Peters, Bill Rowe, Mary Eileen Rufkahr, Linda Virga, Belle Warden, Jim Ziebol. Send your sightings by the last day of the month to Yvonne Homeyer. An asterisk denotes video or photo of unusual or hard-to-find species. Bold means first report of the season.

3. JOE THE JUGGLER AT BUTTERFLY HOUSE by Dave Larson

"Joe the Juggler" was at the Butterfly House Fall Festival on Saturday, Sept. 25, and entertained visitors near our NABA-St. Louis display table. Joe was from the "Everyday Circus Company" of St. Louis and his act included juggling balls, pins, and later, things aflame.

He offers the following riddle:
Question: "Why is juggling like a butterfly?"
Answer: Neither one lasts very long.

More information can be found on their webpage at: www.everydaycircus.net

4. $3 MILLION SETTLEMENT WITH HOLCIM by Yvonne Homeyer

In early October, four local groups entered into a settlement with Holcim, ending efforts to stop the proposed cement plant in Ste. Genevieve County. The settlement calls for Holcim to pay $3 million dollars into an escrow fund, which will be spent on a package of environmental projects in the St. Louis area: $1.8 million dollars on land preservation in Missouri and Illinois and $908,000 on air quality and energy efficiency projects. The four organizations - Webster Groves Nature Study Society, Ozark Chapter of the Sierra Club, Missouri Coalition for the Environment and American Bottom Conservancy - will choose the projects to be funded but will not receive any of the money directly. Holcim also agreed to put a conservation easement on nearly 2,000 acres of its property. Ozark Regional Land Trust will hold the easement and monitor Holcim’s compliance. During the four-year legal challenge, these groups have been represented by the Interdisciplinary Environmental Clinic at Washington University's Law School.The settlement came after Holcim had received the last permit it needed to start construction of what will be the largest cement plant in the U.S. The organizations entering into the settlement did not, however, give up their right to monitor Holcim's future compliance with environmental laws and the conditions of their permits.

Because of the legal challenges of the four-organization alliance, a fund of $3 million has been created for land and air projects and almost 2,000 acres of valuable habitat have been preserved. This settlement proves that conservation efforts at the local level can and do make a difference.

A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. One day a small opening appeared; he sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could and it could go no farther.Then the man decided to help the butterfly, so he took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged easily. But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings.

The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that at any moment the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time.Neither happened! In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It was never able to fly.What the man in his kindness and haste did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening were nature's way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.

Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our life. If nature allowed us to go through our life without any obstacles, it would cripple us. We would not be as strong as what we could have been.

And we could never fly...

Consider giving a membership in NABA! With this gift, there are no worries over size, color, etc., no hassles with shopping mall parking lots or lines of shoppers, and the recipient will receive great information from NABA and our local chapter throughout the whole year ahead. Membership information is included at the end of this newsletter. Happy Holidays from St. Louis NABA!

7. AND MORE...NEWSLETTER ARTICLES WELCOME:
Please send articles, stories, photos, or suggestions for this "Flutterby News" newsletter to: Dave Larson (Email address below).

YOUR CURRENT OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS:
President Ann Earley
Vice President Torrey Berger
Secretary Kathleen O'Keefe
Treasurer Dave Berry
Butterfly Gardening Dennis Bozzay
Conservation Yvonne Homeyer
Education Margaret Gilleo
Membership Scott Marshall
Newsletter Dave Larson
Public Relations Kate Boden
Walks & Counts Jim Ziebol
Web Master Dave Larson
View photo of board members

If you have questions or suggestions, e-mail Ann Earley (aee623ATprodigy.net). Our webpage is: www.naba.org/chapters/nabasl/stlouis.htm

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION:
(or view online membership application form)

If you would like to join NABA, please fill out this application. You will become a member of both NABA and the local St. Louis Chapter, if you live within the St. Louis metropolitan area or nearby Illinois area:

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Dues are $30 (regular) and $40 (family) per year. Please make check payable to NORTH AMERICAN BUTTERFLY ASSOCIATION. Please mail this form with your check to: Scott Marshall, Membership, 609 West Lockwood, St. Louis, MO 63119.