(Mission, TX) - Interested in learning more about the butterflies that call the Rio Grande Valley home? Join us for the annual Summer Butterfly Count, Sunday, July 17!

Each July, volunteers across the country brave the sweltering seasonal heat to count butterflies for conservation. The data gathered by citizen-surveyors provides a valuable, real-time snapshot for scientists, naturalists, and anyone concerned about environmental change, habitat loss, and disappearing or endangered species.

The count on Sunday, July 17, is the ‘Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley Count’, coordinated by the National Butterfly Center. This annual survey of species variety and volume inside a 15-mile radius is conducted by knowledgeable, local butterfly enthusiasts, covering public and private properties. The information collected is catalogued by the North American Butterfly Association and used for a multitude of research projects and educational purposes.

Count activities are open to everyone, from beginner to expert, and provide community members the opportunity to work for a common cause. Anyone desiring to participate should report to the National Butterfly Center no later than 9:00 AM, Sunday, July 17, for a brief instructional session. After that, teams will be assembled and the count will commence at 9:30 AM.

If you wish to increase your skill in spotting and identifying wild butterflies, but do not wish to participate in the count, please join us at 9:00am for a Guided Butterfly Walk & Talk at the National Butterfly Center, in Mission, Texas. Come see why USA Today calls this city “the butterfly capitol of the USA”!

Experts who would like to be assigned to a count team and community members who would like to have their private butterfly garden counted should call 956.583.5400, ahead of July 13, to discuss participation.

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The National Butterfly Center is committed to ‘Growing Connections’ between people, plants, and the winged wonders that pollinate and propagate all that grows around us. We do this through educational and environmental initiatives that cultivate meaningful understanding of the parties and processes that create healthy, sustainable ecosystems. The Center is open to the public, for visitors and members, seven days/week.

To learn more about the National Butterfly Center, and how you can join us, visit www.nationalbutterflycenter.org. Your annual membership or charitable gift impacts the beauty of our community and helps preserve the biologically diverse, natural treasures of deep South Texas.