News Release

10th Annual Butterfly Count at the Preserve

Butterfly enjoying butterfly milkweed

NPS

News Release Date: June 13, 2018 Strong City, KS: You are invited to join in a fun day of citizen science field research by counting butterflies in the Flint Hills on Saturday, June 23, 2018. The butterfly survey is named in honor of prominent biologist/naturalist Marvin Schwilling, who was born and raised in Chase County.  The butterfly census will take place on and near the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve.

No prior experience in identifying butterflies is necessary; learn as you go.   To participate, please RSVP to 620-273-8494 (then hit 0) or email [e-mail].  If you require accessibility assistance, please let us know when you RSVP.

Counts will be conducted in groups that can be either whole or half day. Participants are to meet at 8:00 a.m. at the preserve’s historic stone barn located on KS Hwy 177 at the main entrance to the preserve, north of the visitor center for the morning count and at 12 noon for the afternoon count. Group counts will run from approximately 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (noon) and again from 12:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Transportation to counting locations is by car-pooling in private vehicles, which will be no farther than seven miles one way from the stone barn.

Suggested items to wear include hiking-type shoes/boots, long pants, and hat. Important items to remember are sunscreen, bug spray, and a sack lunch if you plan on counting butterflies all day. A digital camera, binoculars, and butterfly identification guides are handy. Binoculars will be available to borrow and water to fill bottles will be available. Come Join the Fun!

Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve invites you to discover the meaning of national parks, how your park inspires you - both in personal connections and memorable experiences. Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is located two miles north of Strong City on Kansas State Highway 177 (the Flint Hills National Scenic Byway) and is a unique public/private partnership between the National Park Service and The Nature Conservancy. For more information, visit the preserve’s Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/NPS.TallgrassPrairie , website at www.nps.gov/tapr, email e-mail us, or call the preserve at [phone].
To learn more about The Nature Conservancy in Kansas, visit the Conservancy’s website at www.nature.org/Kansas or Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/TNCKansas .


-NPS-