Natural History Museum program highlights butterflies, other insects
Nathaniel Sanchez (top) and Bryan Villaneda (bottom) from San Antonio work on their butterfly craft project at the Bandera Museum of Natural History. BULLETIN PHOTO/Tracy Thayer
Ranger Arlyne Martinez answers questions after her presentation at the Bandera Natural History Museum. BULLETIN PHOTO/Tracy Thayer
Ranger Arlyne Martinez points out the scientific name for butterflies during last Saturday’s event. BULLETIN PHOTO/Tracy Thayer
The Bandera Natural History Museum closed out the month of June with a program on insects and butterflies. Arlyne Martinez, a specialist at the Hill Country State Natural Area in natural resources presented a program to a packed room on insects and butterflies. She brought a large display with insect mounts and posters showing life cycles.
She began the interactive presentation with a brief discussion of characteristics of insects. She described insects as invertebrates and contrasted their body types with mammals.
Martinez then began her description of the main groups of insects. She detailed their taxonomy. She compared and contrasted dragonflies, grasshoppers, beetles, fireflies, wasps, ants, bees, butterflies, and moths. She gave specific information on the differences in the group of insects.
The Museum provided a craft project for the children in the group to remember their day. The children were provided with forms and tissue paper to create butterflies. The project was a hit with the kids as many left the museum smiling, gently holding their “butterfly” souvenir.
Bryan Villaneda and Nathaniel Sanchez along with their parents toured the museum’s exhibits, gallery and attended the lecture. Their mother remarked that the family was from San Antonio and liked to visit area museums. She seemed especially pleased with the program and her children’s enthusiasm for the scientific displays. After the presentation, the family hurried outside to explore the grounds and take pictures with the dinosaur replicas.
Christian and Zachary Brown also stopped in with their dad to take part in the butterfly art project. They delicately held their tissue paper butterflies as they made their way to the front of the building.
To close out the presentation, Martinez talked about the Monarch butterfly life cycle. She described how the Monarchs fly north in spring to populate the Central and Eastern United States and how they fly back to winter in Mexico. She talked about the importance of milkweed and other natural plants in the butterflies’ life cycle.
After the presentation concluded, the youngsters in the crowd crowded around the display table and peppered Ranger Martinez with questions about the insect mounts and about Monarchs. Martinez patiently answered questions and showed her samples to the crowd.
This presentation concluded the Museum’s series of Saturday natural history events for June. On Saturday, July 2, the Museum will provide patriotic crafts and outdoor activities all day. An all-American lunch of hotdogs will be provided to all participants for free from 11 AM until 1 PM. Regular admission fees will apply. For more information contact the Museum at 830-328-5090 or go to their web site at www.banderanhm.org .