Dive into the wonders of Arkansas’ State Butterfly, the Diana Fritillary (Argynnis diana), with special guest Shawn Hunter, a NWA Master Naturalist, a Wild Ones Ozark Chapter member, and the co-founder of The Diana Project. Shawn will help celebrate National Pollinators Month by sharing an informative presentation that explores the Diana’s unique lifecycle and the challenges it faces. She will also explain the history and purpose of The Diana Project and provide resources to help participants become involved. The presentation will help create public awareness regarding creation and protection of habitat, the importance of providing essential native plant nectar, and the need for responsible pesticide and herbicide use.
Participants will learn how to become “citizen scientists” by posting photos of pollinators they see to the iNaturalist website. iNaturalist is critical to The Diana Project for providing decision makers much-needed data to help track threatened insects. Using the software is easy and can be done on any device, mobile or desktop. “Citizen scientists” provide critical data to biodiversity science. If attendees would like to use their mobile phone or other smart device, they can practice sighting pollinators after the presentation. The free iNaturalist app can be downloaded for both Android and Apple phones at: https://www.inaturalist.org/
It is recommended that participants download the app ahead of the event. There will also be a laptop on site if participants prefer to upload photos from a camera.
Guests are invited to bring their lunch to enjoy after the workshop, or go directly out to the trails to begin identifying butterflies.
This is a free event, but guest should register by clicking here.
Pictured above is a male Diana Fritillary photographed by Melissa McMasters.
About the facilitator:
Shawn Hunter is a member of the NWA chapter of Master Naturalists and the Wild Ones Ozark Chapter. A graduate of John Brown University and a United States Navy Veteran, Shawn founded and operated Inuendos Design Company in Siloam Springs from 2002 until her retirement in 2022. In retirement, Shawn has re-learned the art of watercolor, urban sketching, and photography while hiking and traveling with her partner, Jim. In her capacities as veteran and small business owner she gained useful project management and marketing skills she now uses to support conservation efforts. As co-founder and project lead for The Diana Project her current focus is to educate the public about the unique needs of Arkansas’s threatened State Butterfly, The Diana Fritillary (Argynnis Diana), and how they can help.
Historic Cane Hill would like to thank the following sponsors for making this event possible:
Presenting Media Sponsors:
Platinum Program Sponsors:
