Annual butterfly festival attracts families to environmental library

Mika Beckham caught a butterfly and released it inside a butterfly tent at the 12th annual Lawson Roberts Butterfly Festival Saturday at the Mr. and Mrs. F. L. Schlagle Environmental Library at Wyandotte County Lake Park. (Staff photo by Mary Rupert)

Families and children enjoyed the 12th annual Lawson Roberts Butterfly Festival from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday morning at the Mr. and Mrs. F.L. Schlagle Environmental Library at Wyandotte County Lake Park, 91st and Leavenworth Road.

The event featured a monarch tagging demonstration, photo contest award winner presentation, the Monarch Migration Challenge Game outdoors, butterfly and insect catch and release outdoors, and crafts and activities indoors. A release of butterflies was scheduled at 2 p.m.

Jessica Lawrenz, lead education specialist at the Schlagle Library, said she believes they are seeing about the same number of butterflies this year as they see every year.

The library has a garden with plants such as milkweed that are attractive to butterflies.

Jamie Segreto of Kansas City, Kansas, whose children were participating in the Monarch Migration Challenge Game, said she has also seen monarch butterflies this year at her home in Kansas City, Kansas.

Juan Bautista was volunteering at the butterfly tent. He composed a poem about butterflies today: “In the skies they fly so high, we do not know where they go. Is it high or is it low? Who are they?”

Amber Duffett with Arlo and Sebastian released their butterflies and insects inside the butterfly tent Saturday at the Lawson Roberts Butterfly Festival at the Mr. and Mrs. F.L. Schlagle Library at Wyandotte County Lake Park. (Staff photo by Mary Rupert)

A butterfly inside the butterfly tent at the annual Butterfly Festival at the Mr. and Mrs. F.L. Schlagle Library at Wyandotte County Lake Park. (Staff photo by Mary Rupert)

Another butterfly inside the butterfly tent at the Mr. and Mrs. F.L Schlagle Library at Wyandotte County Lake Park. (Staff photo by Mary Rupert)

The Segreto children, Emmie Grace, Kettrick, Kenzie, and Jordan, participated in the Monarch Migration Challenge Game outdoors at the Butterfly Festival Saturday at the Mr. and Mrs. F.L. Schlagle Library at Wyandotte County Lake Park. (Staff photo by Mary Rupert)

Little signs in the Monarch Migration Challenge Game described a situation and directed participants to the next step. (Staff photo)

Amber Buck, top, Dillon Buck, foreground, and Penelope Buck, left, looked at the lady beetle larva display at the Butterfly Festival Saturday at the Mr. and Mrs. F.L. Schlagle Environmental Library at Wyandotte County Lake Park. (Staff photo by Mary Rupert)

Winners of the butterfly photo contest were on display Saturday at the Mr. and Mrs. F.L. Schlagle Environmental Library. (Staff photo)

Butterfly and insect crafts and activities were on the lower level of the Mr. and Mrs. F.L. Schlagle Environmental Library on Saturday. (Staff photo)

Juan Bautista caught two sulphur butterflies on Saturday at the Mr. and Mrs. F.L. Schlagle Environmental Library. (Staff photo by Mary Rupert)

All sorts of birds, insects and wildlife may be observed at the garden next to the Mr. and Mrs. F.L. Schlagle Environmental Library. (Staff photo by Mary Rupert)

Milkweed seeds were available at the Mr. and Mrs. F.L. Schlagle Library for those who want to plant them at home to attract monarch butterflies. (Staff photo)