[va-richmond-general] Fw: Fun for Everyone at "Butterfly Festival 2005" -- Saturday, July 23, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

  [I thought this may interest some here on the list.  --Irene]



  PRESS RELEASE


  THE BUTTERFLY SOCIETY OF VIRGINIA 

  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

  Monday, June 27, 2005

  Contact Person: Lauren Tafoya, Festival Chair

          (757) 588-3956; ButterflyFest@xxxxxxx

  Alternate Contact: Ruth Burch, President 

          (757) 499-6789; Bfly-Society-Ruth@xxxxxxxx



  FUN FOR EVERYONE AT "BUTTERFLY FESTIVAL 2005"

  Saturday, July 23, 2005, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.


  The Butterfly Society of Virginia will host "Butterfly Festival 2005" on 
Saturday, July 23, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Hampton Roads Agricultural 
Research and Extension Center in Virginia Beach - RAIN OR SHINE. An event for 
the entire family, admission and parking at the Festival will be free.

  Learn about these fascinating creatures while touring the butterfly garden on 
walks led by Butterfly Society members, stroll through the vivarium (an 
enclosed tent filled with local butterflies), enjoy craft activities planned 
for the young and young-at-heart, get tips for raising a caterpillar until it 
gets its wings, make a caterpillar rearing cage to watch the magic at home and 
marvel at the variety of caterpillars, butterflies and moths on display. A 
favorite feature, plan to shop at a terrific plant sale offering great prices 
on hard-to-find butterfly nectar and host plants. Butterfly-related books, 
T-shirts and novelties will also be available for purchase. The event's grand 
finale will be the release of all the butterflies from the vivarium at the end 
of the Festival at 4 p.m.

  Twelve speaker sessions, 2 talks per hour beginning at 10 a.m., will give 
more detailed information on a variety of topics:

  , 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. - "Butterfly Gardening Made Simple" - Linda Saunders, a 
Senior Gardener at Norfolk Botanical Garden, will share the pleasures of 
creating a thriving backyard butterfly habitat. Creating a butterfly-friendly 
yard can easily be achieved by incorporating a few simple elements in your plan.

  , 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. - "Butterflies Are For the Birders..and Shutter Bugs" - 
Teta Kain, a self-confessed birder and photographer turned butterfly 
photographer, will share how these other winged wonders beckoned and now have 
captivated her. You have the skills, you're in the field, why not learn to 
incorporate butterflying into your birding lifestyle? Learn how to expand your 
horizons by seeking out both butterflies and birds and the techniques needed 
and joys of photographing all.

  , 12 Noon and 1 p.m. - "Caterpillars Are Cool!" - Ruth Burch, Society 
President, will show slides of cool caterpillars, pupa and the beautiful winged 
creatures they turn into. Information about host plants, how to locate eggs and 
caterpillars, and other interesting tidbits will be part of this exploration of 
a variety of butterfly and moth life cycles.

  , 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. - "If You Plant It...They Will Come" - Nadine Scott will 
guide you through the plant selection process for a successful butterfly 
garden. If you want to attract butterflies to your yard, this program will 
provide tips on plant selection for host plants for the caterpillars and nectar 
plants for the mature butterfly.

  , 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. - "Native Plants for Butterfly Gardening" - Theresa 
Augustin, Curator of Natural Areas at Norfolk Botanical Garden, will define and 
illustrate what is meant by "native plants," many of which are essential to 
butterflies as nectar and larval food sources. She will talk about plants 
native to Hampton Roads that can be incorporated into home landscapes and those 
most likely to thrive in our growing conditions. Learn some of the native 
plants that will bring the most butterfly activity to your garden habitat.

  , 12 Noon and 3 p.m. - "The Wonders of Butterflying for Children and Adults" 
-- Robert Kielbowicz, drawing on his experiences with elementary school groups 
and his own children at home, will relate the exciting discoveries of all kinds 
to be enjoyed through introducing butterflies to children in fun and 
interactive ways. Hear how you can involve the entire family or classroom in 
learning areas like gardening, creating habitat, raising butterflies for 
release, applying geography in the study of migration paths, and identifying 
different species. 

  This will be a great event for butterfly enthusiasts, would-be butterfliers 
and anyone who wants to learn more about butterflies and have fun. Plan to make 
a day of it. Refreshments will be available for purchase or bring a picnic 
lunch. There are picnic tables on the Center grounds.

  The Hampton Roads Agricultural Research and Extension Center is in Virginia 
Beach, Virginia, on Diamond Springs Road, just north of Northampton Boulevard.

  Sponsors who support Butterfly Festival 2005 include Virginia Beach Feed & 
Seed, Impressions Hair Salon, Wild Birds Unlimited, Smithfield Gardens and 
Johnson's Gardens, Inc.

  For more information, contact Festival Chair, Lauren Tafoya at (757) 588-3956 
(ButterflyFest@xxxxxxx).

  # # # # 

  The Butterfly Society of Virginia, Inc., established in 1992, is a non-profit 
organization whose purposes are education, conservation and promotion of 
butterfly gardening and habitat.

Other related posts: