By Tiffany Webb, SPP Lecture Series Program Coordinator
(Follow-up post from May 2015 lecture at WCCW.)
Tiffany Webb is finishing her graduate degree in Environmental and Social Justice at the Evergreen State College.Her interdisciplinary thesis focuses on the intersection of environmental justice and education in prisons.
I can’t keep down some strong feelings about leaving every time I am at a lecture now. After nearly two years as the SPP Science and Sustainability Lecture Series Program Coordinator, I only have two more lectures to host before a new MES graduate student finds their own spot in this position. It is exciting to pass the opportunity to someone new, offering an experience that I imagine will be just as eye-opening and rewarding as my own. At the same time, it is very difficult to leave knowing I likely will never again see the people I’ve worked with, learned alongside, and advocated for in prisons.
Tiffany presenting on the EJ paradigm and climate justice at Stafford Creek Corrections Center.
Tuesday was a beautiful day. The SPP Network Manager and I have developed science and sustainability education certificates for incarcerated men and women who attend the lecture series regularly. After Tuesday’s presentations, a woman who has been going to lectures at Washington Corrections Center for Women (WCCW) for years received the very first certificate recommending transfer credit at Evergreen! We shared such a moment of pride in that room—women lifting each other up and celebrating, owning the classroom and their minds. I am thankful for these moments of victory behind prison walls, and the lasting impact formalization of the Science and Sustainability Lecture Series will have.
Chelsea Smith Waddell, recent MES graduate, giving a presentation on her thesis research at Washington Corrections Center for Women.
That day, the new MES Director—someone I consider a huge mentor—Kevin Francis, gave a presentation. Chelsea Smith Waddell, one of the most brilliant and vibrant women I know, also joined us and she shared her thesis research with the class. Her research focused on habitat characteristics of the Oregon Spotted Frog, an endangered frog species being reared at Cedar Creek Corrections Center and released on WA prairies through SPP partnerships.
Kevin Francis, MES Director at the Evergreen State College, lecturing at WCCW.
It was amazing to be in that classroom, seeing my two worlds combine: my Evergreen and WCCW peers all in one room, engaging in education together. It brings me joy to know that while I am leaving this deeply important work, it doesn’t end here. The incarcerated men and women I know continue to push for more education and classroom space at their prisons. The Evergreen faculty and graduate students continue to engage with education outside of an academic institution “bubble”. And unique and empowering spaces will continue to develop in prisons as more people become aware of the injustices associated with the U.S. criminal justice system.”
The four-day Roots of Success training event culminated with a day at Washington Corrections Center for Women (WCC-W). It was a joy to be in the classroom with incarcerated women from WCC-W and Mission Creek Corrections Center. The attention and interest they gave the material were palpable, and I cannot wait to see them as instructors! Here are some photo highlights from the day.
Professor of Urban Studies and Planning at San Francisco State University and the Founder and Executive Director of Roots of Success Raquel Pinderhughes teaches a class of future Roots of Success instructors.
A future Roots of Success instructor takes careful notes.
The instructor candidates were attentive throughout the presentations. They showed grace and optimism in the face of demanding and dense subject matter.
The classroom was illuminated by a skylight, and the day light entering the classroom was a lovely compliment to the intellectual and social illumination inside.
The future instructors were joined by staff from several prisons. They serve as liaisons for the Roots of Success program, and their enthusiasm for the course is a huge asset.
Paula Andrew, Dorothy Trainer, Ron Howell, Mark Black, and Greg Banner are DOC staff and SPP superstars—they do so much for our programs! The attended the training so that they can offer full support to the instructors and students of the course.
This Friday, I will visit the first Roots of Success class at WCC-W accompanied by SPP’s new program coordinator, Emily Passarelli. Emily takes over Roots coordination from Christina Stalnaker. Christina has graduated, and she left the program in great shape. She streamlined administration for Roots to the point that Emily will be able to give attention to developing further programs. Emily’s title is Green Track Coordinator, to represent a wider focus. Can’t wait to see where we take things next!
An inmate-electrician at Washington Corrections Center for Women updates a light fixture in the main courtyard. Photo by Jody Becker-Green.
According to Brian Tinney, Assistant Secretary for the Administrative Services Division, Washington State DOC has purchased 1,353 new LED light fixtures in the last 60 days. The LED light fixtures are far more energy efficient than the those they replace, and DOC expects to save 1.1 gigawatts of electricity in the first 50,000 hours following installation. Saving 1.1 gigawatts is the same as saving 1.1 billion watts, almost enough to power the DeLorean in Back to the Future.
SPP’s new director for DOC, Steve Sinclair, played a pivotal role in the new commitment to LED technology. He inspired facility managers to embrace the idea, and created the purchasing plan to make replacement and retrofits easily achievable.
The next LED challenge will be in converting prison perimeter lighting—switching to LED technology so that outdoor evenings are safe and well-lit, but less expensive than they have been.
by Liz Louie, SPP Butterfly Technician
Introduction by Lindsey Hamilton, SPP Butterfly Program Coordinator
Butterfly technician Elizabeth Louie worked with the Taylor’s checkerspot butterfly (TCB) program at Mission Creek Corrections Center for Women (MCCCW) for more than two years. She is now one of the few butterfly husbandry experts in the world. During her time at Mission Creek she made many significant contributions to the program. She streamlined data collection procedures and created an immaculately organized system for tracking daily activities and progress. She always found creative solutions to problems when resources and communication with outside expertise was limited. Lastly, as a senior butterfly technician she ensured high quality butterfly care and effectively trained and inspired incoming technicians. The program will benefit from her good work for years to come. Liz will be missed, but we are so happy for her and wish her the best in all that she pursues in life.
Liz Louie records data on pupae and butterfly weights.
The following is a blog written by Elizabeth Louie, now out of prison in work release:
It has been 26 months and three seasons, with two Sustainability in Prisons Project (SPP) bosses and three Department of Corrections (DOC) bosses, releasing approximately 8,000 caterpillars and 250 butterflies to the wild. I have come to the end of an amazing journey. As I leave Mission Creek and the TCB program, I want to say THANK YOU for the experience.
It seems appropriate that I’m leaving just as the caterpillars are going into diapause. All the hard work caring for larvae, pupae and eclosing butterflies, conducting breeding and collecting eggs is now done. It’s now a transition period. A period of rest before the cycle begins again, similar to the stage I’m in now. Work release, a time of transition and preparation for my final release into the community.
Liz Louie explains the details of butterfly husbandry to the University of Denver’s Institute for Human – Animal Connection. Photo by Judith Gerren
A writer from Sierra Magazine recently asked what I thought about the irony of having a butterfly program in prison; the contrast between the delicate, fragile butterfly and the “harshness” of prison life. For me, butterflies are very resilient animals. Their primary habitat was an artillery range, the aftermath of fire and destruction. Metaphorically, the butterfly symbolizes re-birth, new life and beginnings. So with that said, Mission Creek (prison) makes a lot of sense for a surrogate habitat.
Liz is demonstrating how we care for postdiapause larvae. We keep them in bins with paper bags (“mima mounds”) to climb on after they wake up from their winter slumber. Photo by Jody Becker-Green
In fact, there are other parallels between the butterflies and prison life. The larvae will sometimes go into second diapause (D2) if they feel conditions are not right. Maybe there’s not enough food, so the larvae will go back to sleep. Similar to D2 larvae, women come in and out of prison. They may not have gotten what they needed from prison the first time, or they lack outside support to help them be successful. But for me personally, at my age, its good to know that the final stage is a butterfly. It means the most beautiful stage of my life is yet to come. All the other stages have been in preparation for that final one.
Liz Louie shows inmate Samantha Turner how to remove a new pupae from a “mima mound”. This is a very delicate process.
This will be a time in my life that I won’t soon forget. The people I’ve met and the women I’ve worked with, I take away something from each of them. I’ve learned a lot about myself, both the good, and the things I need to change. I have a greater appreciation for the simple things in life. I walk away a stronger person and look forward to whatever life holds.
Inmate Liz Louie feeds a Taylor’s checkerspot honey water from a Q-tip. Photo by Benj Drummond and Sara Joy Steele.
Introduction by SPP Frog and Turtle Program Coordinator, Sadie Gilliom. Blog by SPP Frog and Turtle Program Inmate Technician, Mr. Anglemyer.
Mr. Anglemyer, the author of the following blog, is one of the inmate technicians for the Sustainability in Prisons Project’s Frog and Turtle Program at Cedar Creek Corrections Center (CCCC). Each technician brings unique skills to the program. We like to provide opportunities for all of the technicians to develop the skills they have in addition to learning new ones. Anglemyer is an aspiring journalist and expressed interest in writing about his experience with the frogs and turtles. The following blog is Anglemyer’s first piece. Although dark at times, I think he provides an interesting and important perspective to consider. It has given me insight into how working with an endangered species can stimulate deeper thoughts and self-reflection and how some aspects of the program may be improved by providing the technicians with more hopeful information for the future of the frogs and our world.
Rearing OSF Tadpoles at CCCC
Taking care of Oregon Spotted Frog [OSF] tadpoles is fairly easy…yet, stressful. It’s easy because the tadpoles pretty much take care of themselves. All we have to do is keep them supplied with food and clean water. The stress factor comes in the form of “unknowns” and “what if’s”. The “unknowns” are only a factor because of our lack of experience. When I say “we” and “our”, I’m speaking of me and my co-worker. We’re both prisoners at Cedar Creek Corrections Center, and neither one of us had ever heard of the Oregon Spotted Frog before we started working with them. The “what if’s” are: What if we make a mistake somehow, and they all die? What if we don’t make a mistake and they all die? What if it is thought that we were neglectful, incompetent, or even malicious?
Mr. Anglemyer holding an Oregon spotted frog. Photo by Sadie Gilliom.
I have no rational reason to have any of these fears. The staff at the prison and the people connected to the program have been helpful and supportive. They give us clear instructions and everything we need to carry them out. Furthermore, these fears are my own. My co-worker does not share them. I’ve always been a bit of a worrywart—it’s been a rough go. Once bitten, twice shy and all that jive. Murphy’s Law (what can go wrong, will go wrong) has been a constant companion in a large part of my life.
On top of all that, taking care of an endangered species engenders deeper and darker thoughts concerning mortality. Not just the existence and mortality of the animals under my charge, but of the entire species, and my own species as well. If the OSF is doomed, aren’t we all doomed? On a long enough timeline everything and everyone is doomed. Frogs, people, even our planet and solar system will one day be gone. If that were not the case, life would be bland and meaningless. Please don’t regard me as some type of banal armchair (or in my case, steel cot) philosopher for expressing these sentiments. I’m fully aware that these thoughts and feelings are not new and original. Since the first caveman contemplated his own navel, people have struggled with these notions. In the past, present, and future people have and will continue to ponder this stuff, until…well, until…there’s no one left to ponder anything (think about Buddhist teachings on impermanence, and Shelley’s poem Ozymandias). All I’m trying to relay is that working so close to a species that is close to the brink of extinction magnifies these feelings.
Now enough with the heavy stuff, apart from the above stresses, fears, and existential baggage, working with the Oregon Spotted Frogs is extremely rewarding. It’s the most interesting thing that I’ve taken part in in the last decade—and I’ve only been in prison for half that last decade. In that last half decade, I’ve been relegated to necessary yet menial work; I spent three years mopping a top tier at Coyote Ridge. So working with endangered animals is a new and stimulating change. Watching the tadpoles change into frogs and documenting these changes, studying conservation biology, working with people from an educational, rather than, a correctional setting is a great experience. I’ve been exposed to critters that I would’ve only read about. Caring for them connects me to them in a way that reading about them alone would not. And through this connection to these creatures I’m connected in a larger way to the plight of all the other species that will soon no longer be because of my and my species affinity, no, not affinity, rather addiction to strip malls and track housing.
And the great hope that can be taken from the existence of programs like these in the prison sphere, an area of society that is traditionally punitive and reactionary, is that maybe the pendulum is swinging towards a more compassionate world.
Stephen Sinclair has replaced Dan Pacholke as the Assistant Secretary for the Prisons Division with the Washington State Department of Corrections. With the new position, he has graciously accepted serving as Co-Director for the Sustainability in Prisons Project (SPP). Stephen has already shown himself to be a knowledgeable and capable leader for SPP, and we are thrilled to have him on board.
Steve Sinclair and Joslyn Rose Trivett emceed SPP’s Statewide Summit, a two-day meeting in April, 2015. Photo by Karissa Carlson.
Stephen takes over as Co-Director for SPP from his esteemed predecessor, Dan Pacholke. Dan was one the founders of SPP, and his inspiration and creativity have helped make SPP what it is today. We have no doubt that Stephen will continue to rally WDOC’s sustainability culture; he is dedicated to a more humane and sustainable way of running prisons.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank Dan Pacholke for his tireless years of service and dedication to SPP. We are grateful Dan will continue to be involved in SPP, now as a Senior Advisor. We warmly welcome Stephen Sinclair to his new role as Co-Director for SPP. Thank you to you both!
Steve Sinclair presents on SPP’s future to more than 100 DOC, Evergreen, and program partners. Photo by Joslyn Rose Trivett.
Written June 11, 2015
Joey Burgess, SPP Conservation Nursery Coordinator and Graduate Research Assistant
All photos by Joey Burgess
A horticulture student in the Skill Builders Unit at Washington Corrections Center (WCC) tends to native violets in the prison’s new seed beds.
My first two months working with the Sustainability in Prisons Project (SPP) was characterized by collaboration and progression, both of which I consider keystone concepts for sustainability. At Washington Corrections Center, a men’s prison near Shelton, WA, we partner with Centralia College, Washington State Department of Corrections (WDOC) staff, and inmates with cognitive impairments to raise Viola adunca (early blue violets) for seed. The project holds novelties for everyone involved and it has flourished thanks to flexibility and open minds.
A horticulture student carries a rack of early blue violets that are ready to be planted.
Because of precautionary protocols, making infrastructure changes within the walls of a correction facility is not a speedy process. However SPP, WDOC, & Centralia College have truly united and the effect has been excellent. After only three months the violets are flowering, and we have already started harvesting seed. Our success is not limited to the health of the violets; it is also evident in the mental health and progression of the inmates.
Another member of the class-and-crew hand waters violets.
An interest in horticulture is an inmate’s ticket to the project, but dedication keeps him there. Whether it’s planting, watering, cultivating, or harvesting, we focus on one skill at a time. We encourage each person to find a connection to the work. This holistic approach has created an atmosphere of personal and community development. Inmates are brimming with questions about the broad scheme of SPP, and how they can find similar work upon release. Also, it has been surprisingly common for WDOC officers and administrators who are not involved in the project to ask how they can help, even going out of their way to arrange for our 9,000+ violets to be watered over hot weekends.
SPP partners weed and care for the violets as a team.
Although in its infancy, the Viola adunca project has created an unlikely community. The original goals were to raise violets for seed and provide inmates with valuable skills. However the project has become a platform for more than that: proof that under a common goal, even stark boundaries can be blurred.
One of the horticulture students discovered a Pacific chorus frog among the violets. Looks like the SPP logo!
Summit 2015 attendees and SPP staff. Photo taken by Zandra Jones
by Zandra Jones, SPP Program and Administrative Assistant
On Wednesday April 23rd and Thursday April 24th, 2015, SPP hosted a Washington State Summit at The Evergreen State College (Evergreen). As a fairly new SPP staff member, the Summit was my chance to dive right into all things SPP. I personally could not have asked for a better introduction to this fantastic partnership. Not only did I spend time with a plethora of intelligent, passionate guests, I was able to spend ample time collaborating with my hardworking new colleagues to host a productive and memorable event. The two-day Summit was a major success, with more than 100 attendees from all across Washington State, as well as a few from Oregon and California.
Attendees were welcomed by Les Purce, Evergreen’s President. He delivered a motivating speech, his enthusiasm setting a positive energy for the gathering. Shortly after, Carri LeRoy, SPP Co-director and Stephen Sinclair, SPP Senior Advisor for Prisons, gave the group an SPP Statewide Overview.
Stephen Sinclair, SPP Advisor for Prisons, presents to a packed room. Photo taken by Joslyn Rose Trivett.
The Summit continued with various presentations on SPP, including the SPP Brand by Stephen Sinclair, and some of our many vital partnerships by Kelli Bush, SPP’s Program Manager. My favorite part of the first day had to be the coffee break, which was an awesome opportunity to listen in on SPP-related conversations. I heard widespread interest and dedication to the partnership.
Guests enjoying the coffee break. Photo taken by SPP staff.
My first day at the Summit was drawing to an early close due to class, but not before I was able to see Stew Henderson, the Lean Project Leader from the Governors Office, speak about Results Washington. It was exciting to see someone in such a high position so involved with sustainability and the SPP vision.
Stew Henderson, Lean Project Leader, talks about how SPP fits into state government efforts in sustainability. Photo taken by SPP Staff.
On the morning of day two I was excited to see a couple of the panels, as well as participate in one myself. I could not wait to hear more of what people had to say pertaining to the brilliant work they have done. The first panel focused on Sustainable Operations, and was introduced by Julie Vanneste, SPP’s Sustainable Operations Manager. It was the perfect opener for my panel experience.
The Sustainable Operations Panel described best practices and innovative ideas. Photo taken by SPP Staff.
The day continued with a panel on Community Contributions, introduced by Kelli Bush. I got yet another dose of SPP education and felt quite inspired! The work these people do helps tremendously with inmates’ behavior and health, and benefits the communities incarcerated people go back to in the long run. It also directly benefits the communities on the outside that are in need of bikes, wheel chairs, service dogs, and more.
Kelli Bush, SPP’s Program Manager provides a brief overview of Community Contribution programs. Photo by Zandra Jones.
The Community Contributions Panel included partners from programs working with dogs, growing vegetables and flowers, fixing bikes and wheelchairs, and creating crafts for the community. Photo by Zandra Jones.
In a turn of events, myself and other current Evergreen Students were called up to share a bit about ourselves and our involvement with SPP. I was so excited to be sitting in the same space as people I have come to really admire, but my nerves began taking over when I realized that theirs are tough acts to follow. I felt much more confident as the faces in the audience showed interest in what I had to say.
A Student Panel included past and present SPP program coordinators, interns, and me! Photo by Joslyn Rose Trivett.
The remainder of day two presented us with good food, great presentations, and motivating conversations.
Gardeners from five programs held an impromptu lunchtime meeting. Photo by Zandra Jones.
After lunch, Joslyn Trivett, SPP’s Network Manager and Dorothy Trainer, Environmental Specialist, launched into the action planning process at Coyote Ridge Correctional Center.
Joslyn Trivett, SPP’s Network Manager, outlined the Action Planning Process, a way to set priorities and create work plans for SPP programs. Photo by Zandra Jones.
Next, Stephen Sinclair took the spotlight alongside Carri LeRoy to share some of SPP’s history, the direction we are hoping to go, and some new initiatives that are already in place.
Stephen Sinclair, SPP Senior Advisor for prisons talks about earlier days of SPP. Photo taken by Joslyn Rose Trivett.
Carri LeRoy, SPP’s Co-director describes activities of the SPP Network. Photo by SPP staff.
Joslyn Trivett and Kelli Bush made another appearance to introduce the Green Track concept.
Joslyn Trivett, SPP’s Network Manager, and Kelli Bush, SPP’s Program Manager, co-present on new SPP initiatives. Photo by Zandra Jones.
Then it was the guests turn to speak up. Carl Elliott, SPP’s Conservation Nursery Manager, facilitated a seminar-like discussion. Many guests shared their ideas and answers to posed questions. I really enjoyed getting to be a part of the exchange and observing the shared passion for improvement.
Zandra Jones, SPP’s Administrative Assistant, standing next to her notes from the group discussion. Photo by Carri LeRoy.
The discussion was the perfect transition to carry us into the last segment of the Summit. Stephen Sinclair stepped up one last time to speak about the Sustainability plan for 2016-2017 and take suggestions for improvement.
Stephen Sinclair ends the 2 day event. Photo by SPP staff.
I am definitely looking forward to next year’s Summit. Hope there is one!
By Christina Stalnaker, SPP Graduate Research Assistant and Roots of Success Coordinator
After a rigorous, 4-day training event, all 12 prisons in Washington State have a cadre of Roots of Success instructors. Each day, a fresh group of instructor candidates learned the necessary skills to teach Roots’ environmental literacy curriculum. In total, we certified 31 new instructors representing programs at Clallam Bay Corrections Center, Coyote Ridge Corrections Center, Larch Corrections Center, Mission Creek Corrections Center for Women, Olympic Corrections Center, Washington Corrections Center, and Washington Corrections Center for Women.
On the first day of training, Dr. Raquel Pinderhughes, founder of Roots of Success and expert on Green Workforce Training, taught and certified Roots instructor candidates from WCC. Master Trainer candidates observed her teaching methods in preparation for the next two days, when they would teach and certify instructor candidates themselves. Photo by Christina Stalnaker.
The first three days of the training were held at Washington Corrections Center, and served to train fifteen male Roots instructors. At the same time, 6 of our exemplary and seasoned instructors earned their promotion to Master Trainer.
Several weeks prior to the big event, Master Trainer candidates from Stafford Creek Corrections Center, Coyote Ridge Corrections Center, Washington Corrections Center, and Washington State Penitentiary began studying Roots’ teaching aides. Roots of Success Director Dr. Raquel Pinderhughes led the course on the first day, and the 6 observed and took notes. Then she handed the reigns over to the future Master Trainers; for two days, they took turns leading the class.
Master Trainer candidates used their training scripts to follow each lesson as they took notes on Dr. Pinderhughes’ teaching techniques. Photo by Christina Stalnaker.
On day 2, the Stafford Creek Master Trainer team–Cyril Walrond, David Duhaime, and Grady Mitchell–taught instructor candidates for the first time. Photo by Joslyn Rose Trivett.
Dr. Pinderhughes met with the Master Trainer candidates for several hours after each training day to review notes, give and receive critiques, and hone their instructional skills. These Master Trainers now have the credentials to train and certify new instructors for the program. Certifying Master Trainers is a major accomplishment for SPP-WA & WDOC; Roots of Success has become nearly self-sustaining. This valuable education program is gaining momentum, and graduating hundreds of students across the state.
Congratulations to all the newly certified Roots of Success Master Trainers and Instructors! A giant Thank You goes out to Roots staff, Master Trainers, new instructors, WDOC staff, and SPP GRAs for helping us take this monumental step forward in our Roots of Success program!!!
Men from Clallam Bay and Larch Corrections Center attended the Roots of Success Instructor certification course so that they could teach the environmental literacy program at their facilities. Photo by Joslyn Rose Trivett.
Kieth Parkins, Roots Master Trainer candidate from WSP, works one-on-one with a future Roots of Success instructor during a class exercise. Photo by Joslyn Rose Trivett.
For a few hours, Grady Mitchell, Stafford Creek Roots Master Trainer, took the helm of the Roots instructor classroom. Photo by Joslyn Rose Trivett.
Roots instructors are most successful when they work as teaching teams. Here Cyril Walrond, Stafford Creek Roots Master Trainer candidate, challenges students to describe the characteristics of their future students. Photo by Joslyn Rose Trivett.
Aliesha Baldé, Roots of Success staff, documented the entire training via photograph and video. Master Trainers used the videos as a training tool to refine their instruction techniques. Photo by Joslyn Rose Trivett.
Be on the look out for Part 2 of the photo gallery with highlights from the Roots of Success training with the women at Washington Corrections Center for Women and Mission Creek Corrections Center for Women.
By Christina Stalnaker, SPP Graduate Research Assistant and Roots of Success Coordinator
It was a smaller crowd than usual: two males fluttered around a single female. The lighting was ideal and temperature at just the right degree for a successful pairing. As these butterflies moved in their miniature habitat, two inmate technicians quietly watched to verify if they had a fruitful engagement. We had just entered the greenhouse of the Taylor’s checkerspot butterfly (TCB) captive rearing program at Mission Creek Corrections Center for Women on an early spring morning.
A technician waters flowers that will be placed in TCB habitats for captive rearing. Photo by Christina Stalnaker.
These butterflies were the first of their cohort to eclose, marking the beginning of TCB flight season. Eclosure is one of the final stages of a Taylor’s checkerspot butterfly’s life cycle—it occurs when the butterfly emerges from its cocoon. When the remaining butterflies join them in flight, the technicians will place two females and up to seven males in an insect habitat. Lindsey Hamilton, SPP’s TCB program coordinator, later explained to me that placing so many in the habitat at once ignites the male’s competitive behavior. In the wild, TCB males can be found next to a female pupa, waiting for her to eclose.
Having just eclosed (emerged from its cocoon), a Taylor’s Checkerspot Butterfly patiently waits to feed on honey water and take flight for the first time. Photo by Christina Stalnaker.
The technicians had been waiting for us to arrive at the prison’s greenhouse to “process” two more butterflies that had just completed eclosion. The word “process” is far too ordinary to describe this next step in caring for these beautiful, endangered butterflies. Upon emergence, the butterflies patiently wait in their tiny container for at least 24 hours before feeding on honey water and taking flight. I had never handled butterflies before and was pretty nervous. Elizabeth Louie, TCB inmate technician, proudly demonstrated how to handle and process the delicate insects. After she showed me exactly what to do from start to finish, I went on to process the second TCB on my own.
Elizabeth Louie, TCB inmate technician, shows Christina Stalnaker how to “process” an eclosed butterfly. Photo by Lindsey Hamilton.
First, we recorded the ID number and color code. Next, we removed the mesh caging and the TCB from its insect cup, gently pinch its wings, and closely examined the butterfly to determine if it is a male or female. Mine was female; I could tell by looking at the tip of the abdomen. Females have a pointed tip at the end of their abdomen, whereas males’ are more rounded. After placing her on the balance, we recorded her weight. Swirling the end of a q-tip in the honey water and teasing her proboscis with a paperclip, I set her down and watched as she tasted her first drops of honey as a butterfly.
A Taylor’s Checkerspot Butterfly enjoys her first taste of honey water. Photo by Lindsey Hamilton.
Once captive rearing is complete and the females finish laying their eggs, the butterflies are released to various South Sound Prairies, like the Glacial Heritage Preserve (photographed below). Here they will live the remainder of their lives, and we hope that they continue to mate and lay eggs in their native habitat to bolster populations directly.
Home of the mysterious Mima Mounds and a critical habitat for Taylor’s Checkerspot Butterflies, Glacial Heritage Preserve is intensively managed by our partners to ensure the continued survival of these beautiful butterflies. Photo by Christina Stalnaker.
Yellow and red flags mark areas of Glacial Heritage Preserve with prairie plants cultivated to enhance TCB habitat. Photo by Christina Stalnaker.