Past Issue March 2006
In This Edition:
1) Upcoming Events NABA's MISSION STATEMENT: 1. UPCOMING NABA PROGRAMS AND EVENTS – March and April 2006: Feel free to invite a friend, or even better, several friends! Thurs. Mar. 2. 7:00 p.m. "Butterflies and Birds of New Mexico and the Chiricahuas," St. Louis County Library Headquarters. on S. Lindbergh across from Plaza Frontenac. Jim Ziebol and Yvonne Homeyer will present a video of their trip this past July to New Mexico and southeast Arizona. Butterfly highlights include: Pine White, Dull Firetip, Tailed Copper, Arizona and Ares Metalmarks, Atlantis Fritillary, Milbert's Tortoiseshell, Fulvia Checkerspot, Leda Ministreak, Sylvan Hairstreak, several species of Blues, and numerous skipper species; plus many birds, dragonflies and lizards. This program is co-sponsored with the Webster Groves Nature Study Society (WGNSS). Wed. Mar. 22. "Butterfly Gardening" class taught by Dennis Bozzay at Florissant Valley Community College, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Course # HORT 765. Call 314.513.4444 to register. Fee is $6. Wed. Mar. 22. 7:30 p.m. Joint program with the Missouri Native Plant Society (MoNPS), Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center. Chip Tynan of the Missouri Botanical Garden will present a program entitled "Bare Bones Gardening for Butterflies and Hummingbirds Using Native Plants." Members may be familiar with Chip's "Garden Q&A" column in the Saturday Lifestyle section of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Directions to Powder Valley: From the intersection of Interstates 44 & 270, take Watson Road to Geyer Road. Turn north on Geyer for 200 yards to Cragwold Road. Go west on Cragwold for one mile to the nature center entrance on the right, and follow the drive to the parking lot. Enter the building through the left entrance. Sun. Apr. 9. Butterfly Count at Busch C. A. for Mo. Dept. of Conservation. Meet at the Butterfly Garden at 10:00 a.m. Tues. Apr. 18. "Spring Butterflies" class offered at Meramec Community College, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Call 314.984.7777 to register. Taught by Yvonne Homeyer and Jim Ziebol. Sun. Apr. 23. Butterfly Walk. Starts at 12:00 Noon. Location TBA. Tues. Apr. 25. "Spring Butterflies" class offered at Florissant Valley Community College, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Call 314.513.4444 to register. Taught by Yvonne Homeyer and Jim Ziebol. Sat. Apr. 29. Butterfly Walk. Time and location TBA. 2006: Looking Ahead - Butterfly Counts and Walks: Sat. May 20. Tyson Research Center Butterfly Walk. 2. ST. LOUIS MEMBERS IN “BUTTERFLY GARDENER” PUBLICATION by Ann Earley NABA's national publication, the “Butterfly Gardener,” features two St. Louis chapter members in the special full year issue for 2005! NABA members receive this publication as one of their membership benefits. Page 15 features butterfly riddles, jokes, and links to fun butterfly web sites submitted by Mary-Eileen Rufkahr, our chapter Education Chairperson and creator of the popular Kids' Corner section of our chapter website. On page 22, readers will find an article about chapter member Betty Manlin's recent recognition for being an "Ageless--Remarkable St. Louisan." Congratulations to Mary-Eileen and to Betty, and thanks for putting St. Louis and our chapter in the national spotlight! 3. KID’S CORNER WEBSITE UPDATES by Mary-Eileen Rufkahr The dust has settled, the hammering has ceased… the “construction” on the new section of the Kids’ Corner is complete! Now all you need to do is get out some sharpened pencils and put on your “thinking caps.” The Kids’ Corner is proud to present butterfly and nature-oriented crossword puzzles and word searches (seek and find). Each puzzle has been designed at varying levels of difficulty… adults and children will find them interesting and challenging. As of now, there are five crosswords and five word searches planned. If you have any ideas for future crosswords and/or word searches, please contact Mary-Eileen Rufkahr at merufkahrATaol.com. The Kid's Corner link is: http://www.naba.org/chapters/nabasl/kids.htm And, don’t forget to check out the latest edition of the Butterfly Gardener magazine. Karen Hillson, editor, has included several of our Kids’ Corner jokes and web links in the Instar section of the magazine. From our Kids’ Corner: “What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the master calls a butterfly.” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Why was the moth so unpopular ? 4. MARY EILEEN IS NAMED REGIONAL COUNT COORDINATOR, by Yvonne Homeyer Mary-Eileen Rufkahr, our Education Chairperson, has been named the next Regional Coordinator for NABA’s 4 th of July Counts for the three-state Region that includes Missouri, Iowa and Illinois. Currently there are 13 counts in our region. NABA was looking for a replacement for Pat Thomas (not in our chapter) who has been the regional coordinator for several years and NABA’s national office contacted our chapter. Mary Eileen is an enthusiastic participant in all our butterfly walks and counts, and we are proud that she was selected for this important job. Our chapter sponsors three counts in the St. Louis area: Busch Wildlife, Shaw Nature Reserve, and Horseshoe Lake near Granite City. Each count has a local coordinator who is responsible for turning in the count totals to the Regional Coordinator. The Regional Coordinator compiles the count data and sends them to the national office, which then publishes all the count totals in North America ( Canada, U.S., and northern Mexico). Our chapter has a copy of each year’s count book, or you can purchase your own copy for about $10. We need lots of volunteers to participate in our chapter’s 4 th of July Counts. Beginners are always welcome and will be paired with more experienced members. Dates of this year’s field outings, including butterfly walks and counts, are published in the Upcoming Events or Calendar Section of each month’s newsletter.5. NABA-ST. LOUIS MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION… VIEW GROUP PHOTO FROM NABA HOLIDAY PARTY AT TYSON RESEARCH CENTER, Sunday Jan. 22, 2006. YOUR OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS, AS OF APRIL 2005: (AT = @ in Email address)
NEWSLETTER ARTICLES WELCOME: If you have questions or suggestions, e-mail Ann Earley (aee623ATprodigy.net). MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION: 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: Name ____________________________________________ 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. |
“We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes
it has gone through to achieve that beauty.” - Maya Angelou -
Editor: Dave Larson, Email: larsrblATearthlink.net ("AT" = @)
Suggestions, Corrections and Articles are appreciated.
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