‘Unique & amazing’ Butterfly Flutterby celebrated in Grapevine

For nearly two decades, Grapevine’s Butterfly Flutterby and its release of hundreds of butterflies has celebrated the annual march of the monarchs in the fall as they migrate south to Mexico.

The annual event has always been hailed as an important teaching moment to showcase the butterfly and efforts to keep it safe.

But this year, according to a local self-professed “butterfly wrangler,” education is more important than ever as climate, loss of habitat and other possibly deadly factors are impacting the recognizable butterfly.

“This is especially important today, as monarch butterfly populations are in a steady decline due to loss of habitat and the ongoing drought in their migratory path,” wrangler Jenny Singleton said.

The city’s 18th Annual Butterfly Flutterby on Saturday celebrated the monarch butterfly with a festival that featured a kids and pets butterfly costume parade, a children’s art contest and four releases of butterflies.

Singleton helped “tag” the approximately 500 butterflies bought at a Texas butterfly farm that were released at three events at Grapevine Botanical Gardens at Heritage Park and one event down the street, at the 15th Annual Fall Round-Up at Grapevine’s historic Nash Farm.

Fun time for kids

The annual event provided the opportunity to learn about the butterfly and its migratory patterns, as well as beneficial plants the monarchs depend on. It also introduced children to nature and the life cycle of monarch butterflies.

Five-year-old Georgia — a fourth generation Grapevine native — had on a butterfly costume and face paint courtesy of her mother, Jennifer Parker.

The youngster would have preferred her Darth Vader “favorite villain” getup, but wore the sweet and sparkly butterfly costume because it made “momma happy.”

Parker was joined by her other daughter, 8-year-old Vivi, who has been attending the butterfly festival since she was 1, and several of their friends and kids.

“We’re oldtime Grapevine people and we love all the festivals,” the interior designer said.

Next door was the Grapevine Garden Club’s annual native plant sale that offered nectar and host plants for butterflies and featured native and adapted trees and shrubs. Experienced gardeners assisted festival-goers in selecting landscape plants.

An ‘incredible life cycle’

Singleton, a member of the garden club, said she and other members were promoting the importance of planting Texas milkweed, a key part of the monarch’s habitat.

“As these colorful butterflies pass through our area, they will be visiting our gardens looking for nectar provided by blooms,” Singleton said.

According to the U.S. Forest Service, the annual migration of North America’s monarch butterfly is a unique and amazing phenomenon. The monarch is the only butterfly known to make a two-way migration, as birds do, according to its website.

Singleton regularly speaks on “these majestic insects and their incredible life cycle and how your landscape can help the monarchs succeed in their journey.”

Singleton, a longtime Grapevine resident, is a retired educator and community volunteer who enjoys introducing children “to nature and the fascinating life cycle of monarch butterflies.”

She has been involved in Grapevine’s Butterfly Flutterby festival since its inception — caring for, tagging and distributing the butterflies to the children for release.

She is thrilled that others are embracing her mission, saying, “People across the United States are concerned and getting on board.”

This story was originally published October 17, 2015 at 3:25 PM with the headline "‘Unique & amazing’ Butterfly Flutterby celebrated in Grapevine."