If you or your kids like butterflies, moths and other native Louisiana wildlife, then you may want to attend the Allen Acres Butterfly Blast 2019!

  • Louisiana Master Naturalist Dr. Charles Allen with guests at Allen Acres.
  • Some of the whimsical sculptures at Allen Acres
  • Monarchs will be tagged and released as part of the wider scientific study!

The Butterfly Blast lasts for two days from Sept. 27th to 29th , 2019

Long-tailed Skipper, Urbanus proteus
Long-tailed Skipper, Urbanus proteus at Allen Acres. C. Paxton image.

Louisiana Master Naturalist, Botany Professor and entomologist Dr. Allen says “All are invited, especially the young folks, to Allen Acres to view the butterflies. You should see adults, caterpillars, chrysalis (cocoons), and eggs of several different kinds of butterflies from skippers to large swallowtails and there’ll be tagging of monarchs. Yes, we will capture, apply a tag, and then release some monarchs. Hopefully, some of the tagged ones will be recovered later and we can see where and how far they traveled from Allen Acres. (http://www.monarchwatch.org/tagmig/tag.htm) ”

There will be a butterfly count (bioblitz) at Allen Acres registered protected area led by Lepidopterist Craig Marks, author of Butterflies of Louisiana, on Sunday Sept 29.  It will begin at 9 am or so. This is part of the larger Butterfly Blast 2019 event.

Click on the button below to download the event brochure as a PDF

Butterfly19Download

There are many other wild creatures of interest on the property including hummingbirds, anole lizards, dragonflies, spiders, praying mantids etc.

Furthermore if you can wait or come back just before dark, you will likely be treated to view one or more of the awesome hummingbird moths, also moths at the mercury vapor lights, spider eyes, fireflies etc.

“One moment it’s calm and quiet, the next, quite suddenly the Sphinx moths arrive, as if by magic, and the sweet dusky air is full of the beating of their wings. Like hummingbirds they hover at trumpet-like flowers in the Allens’ Moon Garden and drink the sweet nectar. “
C. Paxton image, ecotourist 2019.

9 AM till dark: Butterfly/hummingbird viewing and monarch tagging. On demand: Power Point “Butterflies from Scratch” or “Allen Acres Moths” by Dr. Charles Allen

7 pm or so till: hummingbird moth viewing: checkout the night life of moths, other insects, spiders, firefly counting, etc. On demand: Power Point “Butterflies from Scratch” or “Allen Acres Moths” by Charles Allen

BUTTERFLY BLAST Sep 27-Sep 29, 2019 at Allen Acres; 5070 Hwy 399; Pitkin, LA 70656 for more info call 337-328-2252 or email native@camtel.net

C.Paxton received no remuneration for this article, it contains his true, unsolicited opinions.