Mikayla Oliveira, Ann Street School
Essex County
Silver-bordered fritillary. Essex County. Mikayla Oliveira
A Cry for Help from Me, A Silver-Bordered Fritillary Butterfly
Oh no, where should we go?! They are filling up our wetlands again. We have to go now or we will end up just like our cousins did. How much longer will this last - we have moved from place to place at least twenty times, in no time our whole species will become extinct just like our cousins.
We have traveled down south to the border of where we can live, which is called New Jersey. Maybe we should travel north up through the provinces of Canada to search for a new home. You can probably find us in moist open areas such as bogs, sedge meadows, wet grasslands and really, any wet areas.
As far as what you will find us snacking on, when we are caterpillars you will always find us munching exclusively on delicious violet leaves. Furthermore as adult butterflies we will be found feeding on the nectar from red clover flowers, alfalfa, common milkweed, butterfly weed, and purple coneflower.
We are active from late May to early September, that is only in New Jersey. Our peak flight time is around late June and August. We are very proud to be known to have two broods every year. Adult females such as me lay eggs on or close to violets.
All of us butterflies agree that surveys for this species of ours could help identify and protect suitable wetlands that would benefit our rare and threatened species. Also we hope people will stop only thinking about themselves, and think about all the other animals you share this world with.
Written by: Mikayla Oliveira
Ann Street School, Newark
Teacher: Mrs. Cardoso