This summer, you can experience the magic of these winged wonders at two exciting events:

The overwhelming success of our Bayer booth at the Maui AgFest & 4-H Livestock Fair, where we gave away all 25 free Monarch Butterfly Kits on June 1st, demonstrated the community's passion for conservation and education about pollinators. Building on this enthusiasm, we're excited to continue our mission to protect monarch butterflies at Pearlridge Center from July 3rd to 28th.

Through "Sharing the Butterfly Experience," you can now immerse yourself in the butterfly's life cycle at Pearlridge, feeding them, witnessing their transformations, and learning about their vital role as pollinators. Admission is $8 (children under 2 are free), with special discounts available for military and first responders. And as a bonus, Bayer Hawaii will be giving away more free Monarch Butterfly Kits during the exhibit.

Bayer Hawaii representatives will be available at the exhibit every Saturday in July from 11 am to 3 pm.

Monica Ivey, Corporate Relations Lead at Bayer Hawaii, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership, stating, "As a company deeply committed to sustainability and environmental stewardship, Bayer Hawaii is delighted to continue supporting Sharing the Butterfly Experience. Through this initiative, we aim to inspire the next generation to value and protect these essential pollinators."

As part of the promotion, 25 fortunate individuals will be selected to receive a mini monarch butterfly habitat kit. Each kit includes a protective habitat for caterpillars, two live caterpillars, and food for the caterpillars. You don't need to make a purchase to enter the drawing. Winners will be chosen onsite and must be present to claim their kits at the time of the drawing.

The butterfly kits are assembled by Sharing the Butterfly Experience, the only Hawaii member of the International Butterfly Breeders Association and Association for Butterflies. Darlene Loo-McDowell, founder of Sharing the Butterfly Experience says, "Raising butterflies is such a rewarding and therapeutic process and I encourage everyone to try it. By providing the fundamental elements of wildlife habitat (education, food, and shelter from predators) to raise young caterpillars into monarchs, empowers children and families in our community to be part of the solution. We encourage those to join in on this fun promotion and to take action for pollinators."

Monarch butterflies undergo a life cycle of four stages. A monarch caterpillar hatches from a tiny egg laid by a female butterfly, then goes through five moltings while feeding on crown flower (one kind of milkweed). From there, it turns into a chrysalis or pupa, and then finally emerges as a fully developed butterfly. The entire growth process takes up to 20 days.

Since 2018, Bayer Hawaii and Sharing the Butterfly Experience have collectively distributed nearly 100 free monarch butterfly kits across the state. This initiative not only provides a valuable educational opportunity for winners but also underscores the critical role pollinators play in our ecosystem, particularly in relation to our food supply.

In 2015, Bayer Hawaii implemented a program to plant crown flower to increase the butterfly's milkweed habitat and protect biodiversity. Crown flower, known in Hawaii as pua kalaunu, is said to be the favorite flower of Queen Liliuokalani who often wore it as a lei. Today, hundreds of crown flower plants can be found thriving at Bayer Hawaii farms across the state.

To learn more about Bayer Hawaii's conservation and sustainability practices, please visit https://www.bayer.com/en/us/hawaii-sustainability.