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ARMS puts together 200 kits for their Adopt-a-Butterfly fundraiser

Alouette River Management Society (ARMS) has put together their annual Adopt-a-Butterfly fundraiser and will have almost 200 kits available this March.
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Paint Lady butterflies transform in just three weeks. (Alex Holmes/Special to The News)

Alouette River Management Society (ARMS) has put together their annual Adopt-a-Butterfly fundraiser and will have almost 200 kits available this March.

ARMS has been hosting this fundraiser for the past three years, said Alex Holmes with the organization, adding that people can start placing orders for their kits starting March 3.

“With the species we use for the adoptions, Painted Lady butterflies, they transform in just three weeks. This allows us to be able to view the changes as they happen — becoming a chrysalis and emerging as a butterfly. Painted Ladies are a great addition to help pollination occur in the local area, helping spread pollen for local wildflowers,” she said.

The organization has 200 kits available for adoption and each kit includes one live caterpillar, caterpillar food, and instructions on each life’s stages. Each kit is for $30 and the organization is also providing butterfly houses for an additional $10.

“This is a fundraiser that helps to fund our education programs including classroom programs, community opportunities, and salmon programming,” said Holmes.

Those who purchase the kit, will be able to watch real time the natural cycle of a Painted Lady. Participants are also encouraged to document their care of the butterflies, teaching them how to observe changes in the environment around them.

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“Once a butterfly emerges from the chrysalis, it takes a few hours for its wings to dry out. Once they are dry, they are able to fly. At this time, they have to be released from their butterfly house. You want to do this on a warm day, too cold and the butterfly won’t survive. We again encourage participants to document and take photos, we always like to see the success and joy as the butterflies are released,” she said.

To participate in this fundraiser, people can email Marissa at education@alouetteriver.org.

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Priyanka Ketkar

About the Author: Priyanka Ketkar

Priyanka Ketkar has been a journalist since 2011 with extensive experience in community-driven news writing, feature writing, and editing.
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