Art Shapiro's Butterfly Site

Most grownups think there are fewer butterflies now than when they were kids. As a professional ecologist at UC Davis, I heard that from so many people on both coasts, over several decades, that I developed my own theory to explain it. It went something like this: Butterflies constitute a proportionately bigger component of the landscape as perceived by a little kid; as a person gets bigger, butterflies seemingly get smaller, and we just notice them less. I wish that were the case, but, unfortunately for us, for our local ecosystems and for our children, hard data shows that butterflies really are disappearing. In fact, some of the most compelling data come from right here in Sacramento and its vicinity, where several species, which used to be common and easy to spot, have disappeared within the past decade. This means it’s that much harder for our kids to observe the miracle of metamorphosis first-hand, like so many of us did. If you want your kids to experience the wonder of butterflies, what can you do?

Please read the full story at the Sacramento Parent website.

Also learn how to Create Your Own Butterfly Refuge.