Texas Butterfly Festival (photo by Luciano Guerra, National Butterfly Center)
November is peak season for butterflies in South Texas and the Lower Rio Grande Valley. The National Butterfly Center in Mission has documented sightings for more than 200 types of native and migratory butterflies and is the premier location in the U.S. to witness such vast butterfly diversity in the wild. The center invites promising naturalists of all ages to learn more about butterflies and their natural garden habitats at the Texas Butterfly Festival’s Community Day on Nov. 3. Open to the public, the event offers a Hungry Caterpillar playscape for little ones to climb, and “wild things” arts and crafts to keep their hands busy. You can also learn how to make banana brew, an irresistible beverage for butterflies that uses dark beer as its secret ingredient. Who knew butterflies liked beer? Professional naturalists and butterfly enthusiasts can stick around for expert-led educational field trips Nov. 3-6.
