Writing | Math | Science | Unit Studies
The Truth About Butterflies
by Rick Mikula
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• If you touch their wings will they die?
• Do all butterflies migrate?
• How long does a butterfly live"?
• The answers may be surprising!

Rick Mikula is called the Grandfather of Butterfly Farming in the United States. He has been raising butterflies for over twenty years at his Hole-In-Hand butterfly Farm in Hazleton Pennsylvania and many of today's professionals have learned their craft from him. Rick has also been 'tagging butterflies for the last two decades as on going research into the mysterious migration of the monarch butterfly. He is a past member and now Advisor to the Board of Directors for the International Butterfly Breeders Association and the International Federation of Butterfly Enthusiast. Rick has also served as Secretary and Treasurer for the New Jersey Lepidopterist Society. He has appeared on numerous television shows for the Animal Planet Network, the Discovery Cannel, and the Fox Network among others. He has done countless radio shows through out North America including several for NPR.

You may remember Rick from one of his magazine articles such as People, New Jersey Outdoors, Modern Bride or from the cover of Organic Gardening. He is an award winning author and photographer with several books to his credit books including Spread Your Wings and Fly, Garden Butterflies of North America and The Family Butterfly Book. Rick also writes for columns and articles for various newspapers and magazines.

Rick has travel through out the United States teaching folks how to create butterfly friend habitats both indoors and out. He has constructed Butterfly Conservatories for Dolly Parton and Hershey Foods and has assisted several schools in establishing award winning gardens of their own. He also conducts butterfly photography trips to Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic.

How important are butterflies.

Butterflies are very important pollinators and unfortunately for them they serve as part of the old food chain. Many species of wasp, flies, ladybugs, stink and shield bugs love butterflies. Once they dodge the first crew hungry foragers then they have birds, reptiles, and rodents to contend with. Once that is over, up goes another highway and its back to macadam for lunch. But if it weren't for the butterflies we could quickly run out of fruits, flowers and vegetables for our tables.

We have always had a love affair with the butterfly. From the cave drawings of the Bronze Age to the creation of nearly a hundred live butterfly exhibits around the world it is quite evident that humans love butterflies. In many societies it was felt that when we died we became butterflies and with those wings we would glide to heaven. In some languages the word soul and butterfly is the same. When the Monarchs arrive in Mexico it is during the 'Festival of the Dead', which is often symbolized by a skeleton covered in monarch butterflies. In this part of Mexico it was felt that children that died became butterflies and once a year they would return to visit their relative. Aztec men of any social rank often carried bouquets of flowers. Living mortals could only savor the aroma from underneath because the fragrance at the top was saved for the Happy Dead. They were the warriors that were killed in battle and then honor by being reincarnated as butterflies. On the other hand in the Philippines a black butterfly, or brown in Aruba, means terrible luck will soon befall the finder. The Papago Indians had a totally different view. They said that if you ever wanted a wish to come true, You must first capture a butterfly and whisper your wish to it. Since it makes no sound it can tell your wish to no one but the Great Spirit. So if it released unharmed it will take your wish to the Great Sky Lodge above the cloud and your request will be answered

There is nothing more amazing than watching a butterfly emerge from its chrysalis. It is almost as much fun as feeding and keeping your adult butterfly while in side your hanging cage.

Hole-In-Hand - What it means

Joe:
The first thing that I need to ask you is where did the name Hole-In-Hand come from it seems rather unusual to be associated with butterflies

Rick:
Sometimes the Inuit would paint a hand with a hole in the center as a symbol for hunting with conservation in mind. It means that when you go to gather something take only what you need and let the rest slip through the hole in your hand. In this way there will be for all times. I think it is a great way to remember such an important concept

Joe:
How did you come to be interested in butterflies?

Rick:
I originally studied ornithology but one day while walking through the woods a butterfly flew into me and I was able to catch it. When I looked it I noticed a silver question mark on it. Needing to know what it was called I immediately purchased a book And was instantly captivated by its 719 friends that also call the U.S. home.

Joe:
What is the most unique experience that you ever had with butterflies?

Rick:
Other than seeing my first Blue Morpho in a rainforest setting I would have to say it was when I taught for Rutgers University. My students were unique in the fact that they came from 15 different correctional facilities and had to be taught how to raise butterflies under some pretty unusually situations. Talk about a metamorphosis. I was able to witness some pretty harden criminals turn into kids again even if only for a short period.

So what is the Deal with butterflies?

Who hasn't been told that if they touched a butterfly and knock the dust from their wings that it would cause them to die. Well it aint necessarily so and scientist have been proving it wrong for years. Butterflies belong to the order Lepidoptera. Sure it is a great word to use when playing Scrabble but it means scaly wings. The name was derived from the Greek lepidos for scales and ptera meaning wings. So the powder that covers their wings is actually overlapping rows of scales. These scales are believed to aid in airflow along the wings during flight and the darker colored ones assist in gathering heat when basking. Since 1940's the tagging of live monarchs butterflies has been conducted. To do so a scientist would take the butterfly and remove scales from a small are exposing the clear membrane that makes up the wing. A self-adhesive tag was place onto the cleaned section. The tag contained a return address along with a serial number. It was then set free to continue it's journey. Monarchs released in Toronto are now routinely found in the Mexican over wintering sites.

Joe:
What is the best way for a fledgling lepidopterist to can get more involved with Butterflies?

Rick:
There are many localized chapters of butterfly and entomology clubs available as well as many online discussion groups and web sites devoted only to butterflies. Many butterfly clubs conduct what are called Fourth of July butterfly counts and are always looking for volunteers. I still feel the best way to get started is to buy a book and set out into your own backyard. There is plenty brewing right there that could be expanded on later. Even in the center of a city butterflies can be found if you only know where to look.
learn more about getting involved

Fact sheet on butterflies

• The largest butterfly in the world is the Queen Alexandra Birdwing with a wingspan of 12 inches. Birdwings favor the mountains of Papua New Guinea
• The smallest butterfly in the United States is the Pygmy Blue from Texas where every thing is supposed to be bigger.
• While the average butterfly will only live for two weeks the Monarch butterfly can live up to tens months. Some rainforest butterflies may live as little as a day.
• The Monarch butterfly is the only true migrant in the United States. Some butterflies will fly north during the summer months while others fly south for the winter. Since they do not make a return trip so that cannot be classified as true migrating butterflies.
• Lepidoptera means scaled wing.
• There are nearly 20,000 species worldwide with over 700 in the United States. They are found everywhere in the world except for Antarctica and the North Pole. In fact there are more species of butterflies in Alaska than there are in Hawaii
• Most butterflies prefer nectar from flowers but others would prefer to nuzzle to a big pile of manure or rotting fruit. Some find nice juicy road kills more to their liking.
• While some butterflies may like to eat unusual things many people love to eat butterflies. A delicacy for Japan is butterfly chrysalis soup while in Korea some prefer to fill a fish with chrysalises then wrap the fish in Bok Choy. It is then buried underground until the whole thing begins to ferment. After it is dug up it is sliced and served. It is said to be a sign of good luck if you receive a chrysalis in your serving. Well it certainly wasn't good luck for the poor caterpillar that was patiently waiting to get his wings.
• The word chrysalis is Greek for gold and caterpillar refers to larvae that are heavily coated with hair.
• Adult butterflies have wonderfully complex eyes that can see in many directions. Caterpillars have very simple eyes that could only tell day from night. They cannot make out shapes or colors.
• There are no adult butterflies that could bite, sting, or otherwise hurt you. The Vampire moth from Africa on the other hand can pierce your skin with its proboscis and drink your blood.
• Giving butterflies a helping tarsi.

The biggest problem facing all butterflies

• The biggest problem facing all butterflies worldwide is destruction of habitat. I have been raising butterflies or over 20 years and one thing that stands out is this.
• No matter how hungry a caterpillar gets it will not eat macadam, concrete or steel. So the more shopping malls, highways and housing developments we plant, and the more meadow that we dig up the less butterflies we will see. This is true at the over wintering sites in Mexico, the rainforest of the Amazon and the lot at the end of your street.
• By planting certain nectar and host plants at home or school you can increase butterflies chances for survival. Nine out of ten caterpillars will never become butterflies. They will be eaten, parasited, or infected before they get their wings. That is why females lay so many eggs during their lives, in hopes that a few will make it through.
• All butterflies love certain plants and adding these to your garden will make it into a much-needed oasis for those hungry Leps.
• Butterfly houses do not work in attracting butterflies. They may fly near and wonder what ever possessed you to buy one, but don't take that for rent sign down just yet because they won't move in. Butterflies do not subscribe to gardening magazine so they do know they are supposed to go inside. You would be much better off with just a pile of wood on your property. Butterflies would much prefer to hide here or under the loose bark on trees over a cedar sided, copper roofed condo stuck out in the middle of the sun. Not many butterflies may become rocket scientist but they certainly aren't stupid.
• High grasses and shrubs also offer valuable escape routes to elude predators.

Take time to smell the roses

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