MDC offers free virtual and in-person butterfly survey training in Blue Springs

Kansas City, Mo. - The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) will offer a hybrid course on surveying butterfly populations that is both virtual and in-person. The course is on butterflies, their ecology, and how to survey for them. The program is being hosted by the Burr Oak Woods Nature Center staff. The in-person class is from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 4. The virtual course is from 2:30 to 3:15 p.m. on the same day.

Participants may choose to put their knowledge into action by becoming a Missouri Butterfly Monitoring Network volunteer. The class will include a slide show about 25 common butterflies and instruction on how surveys are done. There will be a Wild About Pollinators Booklet trivia game. The in-person course will include a mock butterfly survey using the Burr Oak Woods garden and natural areas. Instructors will also cover how to enter data on a website and they will help participants choose a monitoring route on a public natural area.

This is the sixth annual training in the Kansas City area for the Missouri Butterfly Monitoring Network. The network is hosted by Georgetown University with grants from the National Science Foundation.

Some butterfly species such as the venerable monarch have been in decline due to habitat loss and environmental problems. Science-based conservation is working to boost pollinators such as butterflies. People simply interested in learning more about butterflies are also invited to take the course.

The in-person class is open to participants ages 14 and older. Registration is required. To register, visit http://short.mdc.mo.gov/42m. The virtual class is open to participants ages 10 and older. To register, visit http://short.mdc.mo.gov/42e.

For more information about butterflies in Missouri, https://short.mdc.mo.gov/4Qt.