This week at the Market, we talked all about butterflies and the many types of butterflies that you can find in Minnesota. Did you know that there are about 146 species of butterflies in Minnesota and the most of them survive the winter here just like us! Market-goers were able to meet some of these Minnesota natives butterflies and try to identify them. We had Pearl crescents, Cabbage whites, and Eastern tailed blues.
We also talked a lot about how butterflies make different patterns on their wings. Did you know that they are actually made from lots of tiny overlapping scales on the butterflies’ wings. In fact, the other name for butterflies and moths collectively is “Lepidoptera”, which means “scaly wings”.
We then talked about why butterflies have different wing patterns: to scare predators, to hide from predators, or to tell predators that they don’t taste good. Then junior market scientists were invited to color their own butterfly wings and there were a lot of great creative patterns!
We also talked about how butterflies have a very specific life-cycle. They start as eggs, hatch and grow as caterpillars, turn into a pupae in a chrysalis, and then emerge as the adult butterflies that we all see. Market-goers could play a guessing game to match the caterpillar with its adult and junior market scientists could make their own caterpillars to match the butterfly that they drew.
Lastly, Market-goers could learn about the very special butterflies in Minnesota that are currently at risk, like the highly endangered Poweshiek skipperling. Did you know that 15 species of butterflies are listed as Endangered, Threatened, or Special Concern by the State of Minnesota? Ten of these species depend on our disappearing native prairies. These Minnesotans are facing many challenges due to loss of habitat and other potential problems. We also learned about what places like the Minnesota Zoo and Monarch Joint Venture are doing to try and save these animals and ways that we all help butterfly populations in Minnesota!
