Some ideas for marking Butterfly Awareness Week

Over the next few weeks you will notice more butterflies coming into the garden. Butterfly awareness week is next month so it’s a good idea to revise how to care for butterflies and learn about the common species in Ireland. Butterflies are some of the most fascinating insects; their delicate, papery wings and their detailed and colourful patterns are wonderful to gaze at.

These paper butterflies are just the thing to make to show your appreciation for butterfly awareness week. You can use them all year round to adorn your home or classroom.

You will need card, coloured or patterned paper, scissors and a stapler.

First make the template. Fold a piece of card in half and from the fold draw half of the butterfly’s body and one wing. Keep the card folded and cut around the outline. Unfold the card and you will have your butterfly template. Clamp three sheets of paper together and place the template on top of the stack. Draw around the template and holding the sheets together tightly, cut out the shape. Fold the butterfly in half so that the wings meet and staple in the centre. Fan out the wings and the butterfly is complete. Use old magazines or newspaper, or old music manuscripts for making the butterflies too.

Use the butterflies to make a mobile or string them together with a long piece of thread, attaching beads or buttons in between each butterfly. To make a butterfly mobile, attach the butterflies to some fine string or thread and tie this to an embroidery loop. Tie a piece of ribbon round the embroidery loop on opposite sides. Use this to hang the butterfly mobile from the wall or ceiling.

Alternative way

An alternative way of making the mobile is to take two sticks, place one over the other like a cross and tightly wrap string around the centre to secure. Tie the butterflies to the sticks so they hang down. For a simpler way to appreciate your winged creations, fashion your own butterfly garden and make dozens to stick to the wall.

When the butterflies start coming into your garden, make a note of the different species. Make the paper butterflies on blank sheets of paper and paint on details which match the butterflies in your garden.