2023 September ONLINE Deep Dive with Melanie Schuchart | Butterfly Survival Strategies

Michelle Connally, Class of 2018

September 28, 2023 – Thursday, 6:00 PM

Join us for an Online Zoom Deep Dive on Butterfly Survival Strategies. Butterflies already have it hard with disappearing habitat, but even in a pristine or restored habitat, they are at the bottom of the food chain providing food for many creatures such as birds, reptiles, wasps, assassin bugs, spiders, ants and the list goes on.  With all that stacked against them, they have to come up with creative and interesting ways to survive.  This talk explores various strategies that our local butterflies use to extend their lives so their species can survive.

My fascination with butterflies grew out of my love of native plants when I was younger.  Native flowers attracted the native butterflies and from this I grew my passion with butterflies and eventually all insects. I became a Master Naturalist in 2014 and added the Master Entomologist certification in 2017. I’m a longtime volunteer at the Heard Natural Museum and Wildlife Sancturary and created their butterfly docent program in 2014.  Today, I train all the Heard Butterfly docents and do the chrysalis pinning as well. I’ve presented on a variety of butterfly topics at the Heard, NPSOT, Master Naturalist State Meeting and various other organizations and events.   I’m also heavily involved in the mothing as well since they are just Butterflies of the Night.   I use iNaturalist extensively to document my sightings and participate in various bioblitz’s throughout the state. I’m Butterflies4Fun on iNaturalist.  I now live in Gunter Texas (2019) where I have my own 1.5 acre prairie to restore and document.