Lake Minatare Programs Put Focus on Fritillaries, Campfires

MINATARE, Neb. — A pair of free programs at Lake Minatare State Recreation Area on Saturday, July 16, will help participants enjoy and appreciate nature and the outdoors. The sessions, which will be at the Scouts Cabin, will teach how to build campfires and inform about the regal fritillary butterfly.

The first session, which begins at 9 a.m., will focus on building campfires. By learning about the five most common types of campfires, attendees will gain a valuable tool in cooking food, warding off wild animals, staying warm and creating an idyllic campsite.

At 10:30 a.m., the topic will turn to the regal fritillary. Researchers have become concerned about declining population numbers of the distinctive orange and black butterfly, which has traditionally thrived in Nebraska’s tallgrass prairies, meadows and pastures.

The programs, sponsored by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, are open to the public free of charge but vehicles must have a Nebraska Park Entry Permit. The permits are available at the lake’s office or online at outdoornebraska.org.