1) Upcoming April and May Events
2) Spring Butterfly Classes
3) Chapter Annual Meeting April 7th
4) Swamp Metalmark Survey
5) NABA Online Store
6) And more

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

1. UPCOMING EVENTS - April and May, 2005

Beginners and children accompanied by adults are welcome on every butterfly walk and count. Directions to each location are found below, at the end of the Calendar. Water, hat, and sunscreen are recommended for every outing. Tick prevention methods include wearing long pants and using insect repellent.

Sun. April 3 - 10:00 a.m. Butterfly Walk at Hilda Young C.A. near Eureka. Meet at the parking lot. We will do a lot of walking but the terrain is easy. There are no facilities. We have a chance of seeing such early spring species as Falcate Orangetip, Henry's Elfin, Tiger and Zebra Swallowtails, Mourning Cloak, Red Admiral, Spring Azure, E. Comma, and Goatweed. The group will return to the parking lot by 2:00, but people can leave earlier if they wish. Bring lunch and water. Leader: Dennis Bozzay.

Thurs. April 7 - 7:00 p.m. - Chapter Annual Meeting, and Joint NABA-St. Louis and WGNSS meeting at the St. Louis County Library Headquarters on Lindbergh, featuring our own Dennis Bozzay and his photography of flora and fauna of Ecuador, including butterflies.

Sun. April 10 - 10:00 a.m. First MDC Butterfly Count at Busch Wildlife in St. Charles County. We will drive to each location and take short walks. Meet at the Butterfly Garden (bottom of parking lot at Visitor's Center). Henry's Elfin and Juniper Hairstreak are lovely Spring possibilities. The count will end around 12:30. Leader: Jim Ziebol.

Wed. April 13 - 7:00 p.m. Meeting to plan Swamp Metalmark Survey, University Club Tower, 1034 S. Brentwood, #1515. Parking is free at night. (See article below).

Sat. April 16 - 12:00 noon. Butterfly walk, at LaBarque Creek "Festival" at Hilda Young Conservation Area. Leader: Jim Ziebol.

Tues. April 19 - 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. "Spring Butterflies" class will be taught at Florissant Valley (St. Louis Community College, Florissant - call 314-984-7777 to register), sponsored by NABA-St. Louis.

Sat. April 23 - 10:00 a.m. Butterfly Walk at Busch Wildlife in St. Charles County. We will drive to each location and take short walks. Meet at the Butterfly Garden (bottom of parking lot at Visitor's Center). Many butterflies should be flying by this time. The walk will end around 12:30. (This field trip is also part of the NABA "Spring Butterflies" class offered through Florissant Valley Community College. But all NABA members welcome on the field trip.) Leader: Yvonne Homeyer.

Sat. April 30 - 10:00 a.m. Butterfly Walk at Route 66 State Park (NEW). Meet at the parking lot by the Visitor's Center (before you cross the bridge). There are restrooms in the Visitor's Center. We will do a combination of driving and walking. This is the first time we have done a NABA walk at this location. Leaders: Jim Ziebol and Yvonne Homeyer.

Sun. May 15 - 12:00 noon. Butterfly Walk at Tyson Research Center, co-sponsored by Friends of Tyson. Meet at Noon for lunch at the Gatehouse; snacks will be provided by Friends of Tyson. Walk will start about 12:30. Restrooms are available at the Gatehouse. Tyson walks at this time of May in the past have yielded all 5 species of Swallowtails, Great Spangled Fritillary, Bell's Roadside Skipper, and many more species. Leader: Dave Larson.

Sun. May 22 - 10:00 a.m. Second MDC Count at Busch Wildlife in St. Charles County. Meet at the Butterfly Garden (bottom of parking lot at Visitor's Center). More species will be flying by mid-May, including Pipevine, Spicebush and Black Swallowtails, American Lady, Silvery Checkerspot, Viceroy, Pearl Crescent and skippers. Leader: Jim Ziebol.

Sat. May 28 - 10:00 a.m. Butterfly walk at Mark Peters' prairie in Jefferson County. You don't have to drive for hours and hours to see a prairie - Mark's restored habitat is just 20 minutes from 270 and Tesson Ferry. Not only is Mark's prairie a good place to see butterflies up close, but you will also see a colorful array of prairie wildflowers in bloom. There will be many "Kodak moments" so if you are interested in photography, bring your camera as well as your binoculars. Leader: Mark Peters.

DIRECTIONS:

Hilda Young Conservation Area: Take I-44 west to Hwy 109 & W exit. Turn left onto W. Go south on Hwy W for 2 miles. At the T intersection, turn right onto Hwy FF and go for 2.7 miles to a well-marked parking lot on the left. There is Mo. Dept. of Conservation sign at the parking lot. There are gasoline stations on Hwy W to stop for restrooms; these are the last public facilities.

Busch Wildlife Conservation Area: From St. Louis County, take I-64 (Hwy 40) across the Missouri River bridge and exit at Hwy. 94. Go left (south) on Hwy 94 approximately 1 mile to Hwy D. Turn right onto Hwy D and go about 1.5 miles to the entrance on your right. Turn right and at the T intersection, turn right again and proceed to the parking lot at the Visitor's Center. Meet at the Jim Ziebol Butterfly Garden at the bottom of the parking lot.

Route 66 State Park: Take I-44 west to the Lewis Rd. exit (No. 266), and after exiting continue past the West Tyson County Park entrance to the Route 66 Visitor's Center on the left.

Tyson Research Center: From the junction of I-44 and I-270, go west on I-44 about 7 miles to the Antire Rd/Beaumont exit (exit #269). The entrance gate to Tyson is about 100 ft. past the exit ramp stop sign on the right. Meet at the Gatehouse which is just inside the entry gate.

Mark Peters' Prairie: Please contact Yvonne Homeyer (Email: homeyerATearthlink.net) for directions.

2. SPRING BUTTERFLY CLASSES

Want to brush up on your spring butterfly identification? Sign up for the "Spring Butterflies" class that Jim Ziebol and Yvonne Homeyer will teach at Florissant Valley Community College (call 314-984-7777 to register) on Tuesday, April 19 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. A field trip will take place on Saturday, April 23, starting at 10:00 a.m., at Busch Wildlife. All NABA members are welcome to come on the field trip.

3. CHAPTER ANNUAL MEETING and ELECTION OF OFFICERS and DIRECTORS TO BE HELD APRIL 7th by Ann Earley

On Thursday, April 7th at 7:00 p.m., we will hold our annual meeting of members, when we elect our officers and directors for the coming year, at the beginning of the joint NABA-WGNSS program meeting at the St. Louis County Library Headquarters on Lindbergh Boulevard. The election will be followed by a program by chapter board member Dennis Bozzay featuring his photography of the flora and fauna of Ecuador, including butterflies.

Jane Schaefer, Nominating Committee Chair, reports the following slate of officers and directors that will be presented at the April 7th meeting. Each person will serve for one year as a director and as the designated officer if elected.

POSITION:
President Ann Earley
Vice President Torrey Berger
Secretary Kathleen O'Keefe
Treasurer Dave Berry
Butterfly Gardening Dennis Bozzay
Conservation Yvonne Homeyer
Education Mary-Eileen Rufkahr
Membership Scott Marshall
Newsletter Dave Larson
Publicity Kate Boden
Walks & Counts Jim Ziebol
Web Master Dave Larson

Thank you to these individuals who have volunteered to serve NABA if elected.

4. SWAMP METALMARK SURVEY: VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! By Yvonne Homeyer

This summer, our chapter is undertaking an important conservation project: monitoring the status of Swamp Metalmark in the St. Louis area. Jeffrey Glassberg and the Board of NABA asked our chapter to sponsor this survey, and the NABA-St. Louis Board endorsed the project at its March meeting. We need lots of volunteers to help us in the field, so please let us know if you would like to be part of this project. No expert knowledge is required and background information will be provided to all participants. We'll give you specific details in future newsletters. In addition, Dave Larson is building a page on our chapter website with survey forms and photos of Swamp Metalmark and its host plants.

Swamp Metalmark is a rare butterfly. In Butterflies through Binoculars: the East, Glassberg remarks: "This species needs immediate protection and an ongoing recovery plan. . . Many colonies were lost by habitat destruction, but it has also disappeared from a number of former haunts for no known reason. For the world to lose this gorgeous animal would be a true scandal." (p. 99). It is a tiny butterfly that usually lands with its wings open (flat). The upper side is dark, with weak silver/metallic bands and a pale orange border. (See Plate 15). The under side is orange but that is rarely seen.

The first step to protection is gathering information. To that end, we will begin surveying the four known colonies in the St. Louis area and looking for new colonies in locations where the caterpillar food plant is found. Swamp Metalmark uses two thistles for egg-laying: Swamp Thistle (Cirsium muticum) and Tall Thistle (Cirsium altissimum). Although Swamp Thistle is rare, having been reported in just four counties in Missouri, Tall Thistle is more widespread. Despite the availability of its host plant, however, the Swamp Metalmark is locally rare in the St. Louis area.

To get started, there will be a meeting on Wednesday, April 13 at 7:00 p.m. in the University Club Tower, Suite 1515 (the building conference room). The University Club Tower is located at 1034 South Brentwood across from the Galleria. Parking is free at night. All NABA members are welcome to attend.

The bulk of the work, of course, will take place in the field. Our survey will coincide with the Swamp Metalmark's flight time (two broods) from mid-June to early September, about 11 weeks. [Locations have been deleted.] Dave Berry, Scott Marshall and Ron Goetz will serve as coordinators for each of those areas, respectively. The fourth colony is on private property and we are enlisting the owners' help. As we identify more areas where the host plant is located, we can expand our search to look for new colonies.

If you can't make the April 13 meeting but want to volunteer, just let Yvonne know (homeyerATearthlink.net).

5. HAVE YOU VISITED THE NABA ONLINE STORE?

If not, visit the store at www.butterflybuzz.com and help to support NABA! Profits from merchandise sales benefit NABA programs, and NABA members can purchase any store item (including binoculars) at a 10% discount (be sure to enter NABA in the discount code box during checkout to receive discount). Happy shopping!

6. AND MORE...

NEW MEMBERS:
Our newest NABA-St. Louis member is: Misty Mackiewicz (from Warsaw, Missouri). Welcome to our Chapter, Misty, and hope to see you at one of our upcoming Butterfly Walks or events!

NEWSLETTER ARTICLES WELCOME:
Please send articles, stories, photos, or suggestions for this "Flutterby News" newsletter to: Dave Larson ( larsrblATearthlink.net ). Each Newsletter issue is also found online at: www.naba.org/chapters/nabasl/newsltr.htm