Count-E-News • March 15, 2010

Butterfly Garden at Daggerwing Nature Center Earns State Recognition

Daggerwing Nature Center’s butterfly garden was recently recognized by the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs, Inc. (FFGC) as a certified butterfly sanctuary. The garden was recognized because it attracts a variety of butterflies that are common to this area of Florida.

In order to be certified by the FFGC, a garden must have many types of native nectar and host plants for butterflies and a variety of the needed habitats. In addition, it must not use pesticides. The application process includes completing a form, providing a list of all the plants and butterflies in the garden, submitting several photos of the butterflies and having a site visit with an agent from the FFGC.

Daggerwing Nature Center is named after the ruddy daggerwing butterfly that can be seen in the garden and natural area. The garden also attracts the zebra longwing (our state butterfly), gulf fritillary, julia, monarch, queen, white peacock, atala, red admiral, polydamas, black and giant swallowtails and a variety of sulphurs.

In order to have a successful butterfly sanctuary, a garden must have both nectar plants for the adult butterfly and host plants for the caterpillars, so that the entire life cycle of the butterfly can be completed within one garden. Adult butterflies lay their eggs on the host plants, and then the caterpillars eat the leaves of the host plants once they hatch out of their eggs. If host plants aren’t present in a garden, you may find the adult butterflies feeding, but they must go elsewhere to reproduce. If nectar plants aren’t found in a garden, the butterflies may visit the garden to lay eggs, but must go elsewhere to feed.

Butterflies are finicky eaters; each species of caterpillar will only eat specific plants, and it is different from one species to the next. In order to attract many species of butterflies, there must be a variety of these types of plants specifically suited to the butterflies that are found in that area. It is also necessary to not use pesticides or chemicals that could be harmful to the caterpillars and butterflies and to provide a variety of habitats including sunny, partial shade, full shade and damp areas where butterflies can drink.

You can start a butterfly garden!
Starting a butterfly garden is easy, and it actually may be less work to keep up than other types of gardens. The South Florida native plants needed for a butterfly garden are able to survive on the amount of rain that nature provides, so this may reduce the amount of watering you would have to do. (Of course, freshly planted plants will need to be watered until they become established.) Also, the caterpillars naturally “prune” the host plants by eating the leaves, so you don’t have to do that either. (Don’t worry. Even if a plant is eaten bare by the caterpillars, the plants are adapted to this and will grow new leaves.)

Daggerwing provides classes on butterfly gardening that include the names of plants you would need to attract specific species. For information, click on the Program Calendar link on Daggerwing’s Web site, http://www.pbcparks.com/nature/daggerwing_nature_center or in the Calendar of Events link on http://www.pbcparks.com.

Where is the Daggerwing butterfly garden?
The Daggerwing gardens are located in front of the nature center, but butterflies may also be seen all along the boardwalk in the natural area. Butterflies are more likely to be found in large numbers during the warmer months but may be seen year-round in Florida. They are ectothermic (body temperature is regulated by the environment around them), so they have a tendency to be active during warm and sunny weather.

The gardens are open daily, sunrise to sunset. Daggerwing Nature Center is located in the South County Regional Park at 11200 Park Access Road, Boca Raton. For more information call 629-8760.

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Consumer Trap & Tip: New Credit Card Rules

Trap

Mark began receiving credit card offers soon after entering college. He resisted tempting offers like discount travel packages, t-shirts and even Frisbees! Mark graduates this spring and recently applied for a major credit card. He soon learned he had been denied a card because he’s too young and doesn’t make enough money. What happened to all the great credit offers when he was entering college?

Tips

The Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure Act (CARD) became law on February 22, 2010. Among many sweeping changes, it protects young adults from digging themselves into debt. According to a recent Sallie Mae study, the average college student graduates with over $3,000 owed to credit card companies. The following are some factors for college-age consumers to consider:

· Many young adults will have less access to credit as card issuers and lenders must impose stricter rules which require proof of income or savings.

· If a person under 21 wants a credit card, it will be necessary to obtain a co-signer older than 21 or prove an independent means of income.

· College students searching for employment with little or no credit history should ask prospective employers if a credit check is conducted as part of the hiring process. If so, such candidates may not be offered a position because they could be considered a high credit risk.

· Certain elements of the law will make credit more difficult to acquire and could push some to consider payday lenders or pawn shops. Instead, establish a checking or savings account. Although not reported to credit bureaus, account histories can be used by lenders to help determine a person’s credit risk.

For details about the new CARD Act, visit http://www.consumer-action.org or contact Palm Beach County Consumer Affairs at 561-712-6600 (Boca/Delray residents call 888-852-7362 toll free) or http://www.pbcgov.com/consumer.

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Win a Sony E-reader with the Great Palm Beach County Libraries Treasure Hunt!

Join the Palm Beach County Library Association (PBCLA) and explore the treasures hidden within the more than 100 libraries in our county during the Great Palm Beach County Libraries Treasure Hunt, which will be held April 10 - 17, 2010. The hunt is open to the entire community and is a fun and challenging way to learn about some of the things that make each library in the county unique. Participants will receive a list of clues and will have to visit libraries and school media centers either in person or online to find a treasure at each location. The participant discovering the most treasures will win the grand prize of a Sony E-reader digital book.

Hunters can register online at http://www.pbcla.info/. A $5 registration fee includes a t-shirt, map and other pirate goodies. Registrations will also be accepted in person on April 10, the first day of the hunt, at four Palm Beach County Library System locations: Main Library on Summit Blvd., Belle Glade Branch, Hagen Ranch Road Branch and Jupiter Branch. On opening day, registered hunters will receive a list of questions to answer, and the person with the most correct responses at the end of the week will be awarded the grand prize of a Sony E-reader.

Funds raised from the treasure hunt will be used to fulfill the mission of the Palm Beach County Library Association, a nonprofit organization, which is to support and advance libraries and those interested in library service.

“There are more than 100 libraries in Palm Beach County, some are public libraries serving all of our residents, some are part of our schools and universities, and some are special libraries associated with businesses and nonprofit organizations,” said Ethan Allen, president of PBCLA, “but they all share a purpose of collecting and sharing information with the community, and I cannot think of a more important or relevant mission in our world today.”

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Pet Adopt-a-Thon at Animal Care and Control

What: Tour for Life Pet Adopt-a-Thon

When: Wednesday, March 31, 2010

4 – 7 p.m.

Where: Palm Beach County

Animal Care and Control

7100 Belvedere Road

West Palm Beach

This event includes pet adoptions, a low-cost rabies clinic from 5 – 7 p.m. (for spayed or neutered dogs and cats), microchipping, vendors and refreshments. For more information, or to schedule an appointment to spay or neuter your pet, call 233-1222 or visit http://www.pbcgov.com/publicsafety/animalcare/.

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Learn to Grow Your Own Food

Growing and preparing your own vegetables and fruits can help stretch your food dollar. It can also be rewarding and healthy. Adding more fruits and vegetables to your diet can help reduce the risk of diseases, and gardening gives you an opportunity to exercise while enjoying Florida’s outdoor living.

Learn all about growing and preparing heart-healthy vegetables and fruits at a free workshop offered by the Palm Beach County Cooperative Extension. The workshop will include presentations on gardening tropical fruits and vegetables, their nutritional value, as well as a demonstration on how to prepare them. Participants will also be able to taste the prepared dishes. Participants must call (561) 233-1742 to register.

What: Edible Gardens Workshop

Where: Cooperative Extension/IFAS

559 N Military Trail • West Palm Beach

When: Saturday, March 27, 2010

Time: 9 a.m. – noon

For information on other programs at the Cooperative Extension, visit http://www.pbcgov.com/coextension/.

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