The Butterfly Effect
I hope most of you remember our dynamic December speaker, Dr. Jana Johnson, who brought the Palos Verdes Blue Butterfly back from the brink of extinction. In April the board was invited to join Dr. Johnson and some of her students to release the endangered butterflies.
After signing agreements not to disclose the location (poachers!), we listened to more information about the butterflies. We learned their techniques for separating the caterpillars, which have to be raised in isolation because they are lazy little cannibals, looking for an easy meal. We were shown the various equipment used to care for them, then told what to expect when we released them – girls hang around, boys zip off – and then headed down the trail. When we found a suitable patch of deerweed, the butterfly’s preferred plant for nectaring and egg-laying, we were handed containers labeled with the lineage and gender of the individual inside. Each group of about ten people released around 40 butterflies, bringing the total to 1000 released this year.
Males and females look different. Males are a brighter blue with a finer black line along their wings. In sunlight, females have a silvery sheen on their wings. Both have adorable striped antennae. Once released, they flutter off, but not far. They are tiny, but we learned to spot them and were delighted to observe some pairs ensuring future generations. We also sprinkled pupae on 
deerweed. Then each of us was given two or three 4th-instar larvae, green or brown, depending on their age. They climbed from our hands onto deerweed, but we had to be careful to give each little potential cannibal some space. The experience was rather magical and gave us hope. Dr. Johnson’s passion is infectious.
If you would like to be included in events like this, join the board. We have an opening for Past President, a title that does not require having been President in the past or even having served on the board. The Past President advises the nominating committee, bylaws, and member recognition awards. This role gives you the opportunity to see how the board operates, provide input on future ideas, make lifelong friends, and meet the speaker at a cocktail party. Expect a phone call over the summer outlining the open positions and activities, and giving you the opportunity to choose the one that suits you.
Nancy Englund
2026-2026 President