Monroeville one of 13 butterfly count sites

A Monroeville corporation will host its 21^st annual butterfly count July 13.

PPG’s Monroeville Business & Technology Center invited the public to the event, which attracts about 100 people to count the many butterflies that frequent the site’s pollinator garden.

The free event will be held from 10 a.m. to noon and will include door prizes for adults, giveaways for children and snacks for everyone. PPG will provide butterfly nets to the first 30 people who register.

“Our pollinator garden is used for student visits to educate children on different pollinators and different plants in the garden. We’ve been hosting visits for many years — and this count is one of our happiest days of the year,” said Maria Revetta, PPG’s event coordinator.

PPG partnered with the North American Butterfly Association in 1998 to host its first butterfly count. According to NABA’s website, there are about 450 counts across the country that cover a 15-mile radius.

The site in Monroeville serves as one of 13 in the state. NABA collects the data gathered at butterfly counts and publishes annual reports that provide information about the geographical distribution and relative population sizes of the species counted.

Revetta said the most common butterflies observed and counted during the event is the monarch, followed by a variety of skippers, the dusty wing, the painted lady and swallowtails.

A majority of PPG wildlife team members attend the butterfly count to educate participants on butterflies and pollinators. Additionally, members of the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium will join the event.

“We’re so thrilled we’ve been able to sustain this throughout the years. We’re proud of the event,” Revetta said.