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Legislature looks at designating a "state butterfly"

Flickr User John Flannery
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Michigan is one of three states that don’t have a state insect or butterfly. But a bill in Lansing could change that.

The legislation would make the Black Swallowtail butterfly Michigan’s state butterfly.  

Democratic State Senator Curtis Hertel is the bill sponsor. He said there are a number of reasons this is the bug being discussed.

“The Black Swallowtail butterfly is native to all of Michigan, is one of the few butterflies that actually stays here year round, it really is a fairly unique butterfly in that it stays here and is representative of the entire state.”

Hertel said as well as not being a migratory butterfly, the black swallowtails are fairly large and easy to spot.

He said students in other states learn about their state butterfly, and this would provide Michigan students with another opportunity to learn about their state.

The bill is awaiting a committee hearing.