Today is National Butterfly Day

To celebrate National Butterfly Day I did not cover myself in butter and flies.  No.  That was last year.  I did, however get my safari hat and shorts and go out to the butterfly gardens in The Meadow  with my camera and picnic basket and spent my day among the flittering wings.  Very soothing. You should come with me next time!

Until then, here are some fun Butterfly Facts:

-Their wing spans can range from 1/2 inch to 11 inches.  Oh to have wings like that!

-Butterflies in their adult stage can live from a week to nearly a year, depending on the species.

-The Monarch butterfly migrates from Mexico to the northern USA and southern Canada, a distance of about 2500 to 3000 miles.  That’s a lot.  I migrate from Mama’s kitchen to the treehouse, a distance of about 30 feet.

-Butterflies drink turtle tears which is sad because that means that turtles cry.  Who would wanna make a turtle cry?  Only a jerk, that’s who!  Ok I’m sorry, I said a bad word.  But still…*

-Butterflies taste with their feets! If mine could do that, I’d walk on pizza all day.  They can’t but they do  smell like cheese. **

-The Greek name for a butterfly is Psyche, and the same word means the soul.***

 

*I’ve tried to explain this to Oliver many times.  Turtles aren’t actually sad.  They have special salt glands near the eyes and this is how they drain excess salt, through fluid in the salt ducts.  Does he listen?  No.  I have to stop him from trying to cheer up turtles that aren’t really crying.  – Editor

**Yes.  Yes they do.  Especially when he sticks them under your nose to wake you up. Not cool, Ol.  Not cool.

***That last fact was wayyyy too heady for a little spider to process so he went back to his peanut butter sammich and read the butterflies a story.