KillingButterflies

[Gary Anweiler]

I am one of the few people I know who even SEES most butterflies - and
especially most moths.  

My awareness grew out of my "magpie" passion as a kid to find and keep to
marvel at and show to others and to learn about the beautiful natural
things around me.  I caught bumblebees and butterflies in jars.  I pressed
butterflies in books the way victorian ladies pressed flowers - and with
the help of my parents,  who maybe did not understand my passion, but
appreciated and supported it.

I believe the butterflies and moths and songbirds will eventually disappear
not because they were killed off by
collectors or kids - but because most people had absolutely no awareness of
them or little or no appreciation of them

I will support any child of whatever age to be aware of and learn to value
insects, birds and nature in all forms.  So many of us started by
collecting them, as children so often love to do.  Although most will
likely move on to other things, I will bet they will always be more AWARE
of the butterflies around them than those who never made contact at all.

Killing a few butterflies seems a small  price to pay . 

Gary Anweiler