Verna Kay Boyd spoke to a group at the Marcus P. Beebe Library on Thursday afternoon, July 12, including students from the Tiger Post.

The kids have been studying butterflies and plan to hatch some. They will release them at the garden they have been caring for. Boyd said she is thrilled the students have a butterfly garden.

Boyd raises Monarch Butterflies at her home at Garretson. She raises the caterpillars, then butterflies in clear platic tubs with a screen on the top. Then she releases them at Spirit Mound near Vermillion, usually 80-90 of them a season, she said. The caterpillars eat milkweed.

She told about the life of the butterflies. Some will migrate to Mexico. They spend the nights in trees. They can't fly when it is cold or wet.

Numbers are dwindling, she said. The numbers of Monarchs has been dropping by 80%, because of spraying for weeds.

Boyd's appearance was sponsored by the Marcus P. Beebe Library and the South Dakota Humanities Council.