Two Old Orchard Beach fifth graders want Maine to have an official state butterfly, so like many constituents, they wrote a letter to their state representative.
“We are writing today because other states have state butterflies, why not us?” reads the letter from Oscar Stanton and Tate Graham. “We’re proposing the Hessel’s hairstreak because it’s native to Maine and over all a beautiful butterfly. It’s also an endangered species.”
When Rep. Lori Gramlich (D-Old Orchard Beach) received the letter just days after being reelected in November, she jumped at the chance to submit a bill to do just that.
“I go every fall to talk to classes about how a bill becomes a law,” Gramlich said. “Lo and behold, I get this letter from the two boys.”
The boys said they chose the Hessel’s hairstreak — which is bright green with brown and white patches — after learning about it during a trip to the Saco Heath. They hope to raise awareness about its endangered status so “maybe in the future it won’t be endangered.”
“They are very small and rare,” Tate, 11, said Monday during an interview in Laura Seaver’s classroom at Loranger Memorial School.
However, as with all legislation, others get a chance to weigh-in.
With 120 butterfly species in Maine to choose from, there are lots of options, said Phillip deMaynadier, a state lepidopterist with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.
He’s excited that if the Legislature designates a state butterfly, it will raise the profile of all pollinators — bees, butterflies and beetles — that are essential to crops.
“I think it’s wonderful that the kids have gotten involved and are taking this seriously,” deMaynadier said. “If it goes through, it will be because of them.”
As a butterfly expert, deMaynadier said it’s important to note that the Hessel’s hairstreak is found only in about four locations in Maine, all in York County. Most Mainers have never seen one and likely never will.
He will talk with the students later this month about the pros and cons of other options, including the pink-edged sulphur, white admiral, Canadian tiger swallowtail, mourning cloak and the monarch.
The mourning cloak, with maroon-brown wings that feature a yellow band on the edge and blue spots, emerges as early as March.
“It’s very often the very, very first butterfly of the 120 species anyone encounters in the spring,” deMaynadier said. “Even when there is snow on the ground, it’s a reminder that spring is on the way.”
Oscar and Tate say their class learned about the other options and in an initial vote, chose the pink-edged sulphur. But the decision isn’t yet final and they are eager to hear from deMaynadier.
“It was a little disappointing to learn there were more candidates,” Oscar, 11, said. “It’s also kind of cool to show how these ones can be better.”
If all goes as planned, Gramlich hopes the students will be able to testify at a public hearing on the bill sometime in March.
Before then, lawmakers will consider other efforts to draw attention to fun things about Maine, such establishing a Maine Needham Day, a Maine Alewife Day and designating granitic pegmatite as the Maine State Rock.
For legislators who slog through more than 2,000 bills during the legislative session, many of which address serious topics such as the housing shortage or utility regulation, these bills are a welcome respite.
“I really want something that’s a little bit lighter but really just kind of brings people together to talk about what’s great in our state,” said Sen. Lisa Keim (R-Dixfield), who is sponsoring the Maine State Rock legislation.
Or as Gramlich put it: “You hear about so much junk in politics. Somebody’s always got a complaint. This is something where we’re going to come together.”