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It was part of a recent presentation by Kathy Huxford and Michigan Monarchs at the Ruth Hughes Memorial Library in Imlay City.

"It was interesting and you learn a lot of facts. My mom's not sure where we'll get milkweed from," Leah, 11, an Imlay City Middle School student said after the presentation.

Marc, 8, a Borland Elementary School student said, "It was fascinating. You get to know different facts. They like watermelon and so do I."

Huxford shared her knowledge of the butterflies with a group of children in attendance of the program.

"If it's dark or below 60 degrees monarch butterflies can't fly. They go into a hibernated state," Huxford said.

The Almont resident started Michigan Monarchs because of her daughter, Kelsey Huxford's, interest in butterflies after a neighbor gave them a chrysalis.

Currently, the Huxfords have about 1,000 caterpillars and eggs for monarch butterflies at home.

"We've done black swallow tails, but monarchs are predictable. Painted ladies are very prolific, but they're not very pretty. Monarchs are easy to handle," she said.

Huxford inherited a sense of wonder in nature from her father, Marlin Goebel, who is a retired science teacher. "You grow up with everything being a science experiment," she said.

Huxford said she felt most children have not had the chance to experience nature first hand, hence the reason for her butterfly farm, Michigan Monarchs. She said it is a goal to not only give the opportunity to learn about the life cycle of a butterfly, but to care for and watch the changes a monarch caterpillar makes as it becomes an adult on a close-up and personal level.

The monarch butterfly's scientific name is danaus plexippus. It eats milkweed which adult females lie their white eggs beneath on the underside of leaves. The eggs hatch in three to 12 days, with the larvae feeding on plant leaves for about two weeks developing into 2-inch long caterpillars. They then shed their outer skin transforming into a pupa (or chrysalis). The caterpillar completes the transformation in about two weeks. Its life as a butterfly lasts two to six weeks.

She told children at the library that monarch butterflies love watermelon and Gatorade. She added they taste with their feet.

Huxford gave the children a chrysalis to take home, but they needed to find milkweed for it. One little girl said a chrysalis looked like a grape.

Huxford said to attract butterflies to gardens area residents can plant fennel or queen Ann's lace.

Huxford and the Michigan Monarchs will give a presentation on butterflies at the Almont District Library at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. July 29; at the Dryden Township Library at 11 a.m. Aug. 5; and at 11 a.m. Aug. 12 at the North Branch Township Library.

Jennifer Decker can be reached at (810) 664-0811, Ext. 8125 or jennifer.decker@lapeergroup.com.