Four-year-old finds passion breeding monarch butterflies during pandemic

What started as an environmental concern has grown into a pandemic project for one family.

After a little girl learned the monarch butterfly population is dwindling, she and her parents wanted to help make a difference. Now, their efforts are fluttering high.

Four-year-old Juliette is a social butterfly herself – from her social media to her butterfly friends. “I love you little eggy!” she exclaimed while looking at them.

Joey and Alexandra Brummett, Juliette’s parents, said it all stemmed from a pandemic project.

“It all just kind of stopped, everything closed, and being an only child at home, she didn’t have a lot to do here,” Joey explained.

One of their favorite stops became visiting butterfly gardens, where Juliette learned the monarch butterfly population is declining. She was so devastated her mom said her daughter wanted to help.

Dad said they started out by buying a couple milkweed plants to attract the butterflies and end up getting one.

“We’re not gardeners,” Alexandra added. “We didn’t even know how to do this. It was a lot of googling.”

Then, “One butterfly on this day, and then two, and then six,” Joey said.

Now, they have released nearly 500 butterflies from their backyard.

And Juliette, the ‘mother of monarchs’ herself, gave me a lesson on how to slow down and handle them gently.

In the time warp of the pandemic, it gave this family time to enjoy what they created, and each other.

“In the year, she’s grown so much and she was so little. And she loved them even then.” Joey said, “And just kind of grew up together. Yeah, you know, and it’s just it’s, it’s incredible.”

But just like these butterflies, maybe some time spent inside the chrysalis, or home, helps us change and grow too.

If you would like to follow her journey, we’ve included a link to her Facebook page.