Text reads, “tvo kids + Fifth Ground Entertainment Original”

A kid says, WEE!

(Giggling)

A bee flies over dandelions in a field.

Text reads, “Leo’s Pollinators. TVOkids Presents”

Leo says,
IT'S ME, LEO!
THE EXPLORER CLUB
IS ON A NEW MISSION.
WE'RE HELPING THE POLLINATORS,
THOSE AMAZING CREATURES
WHO MOVE POLLEN
FROM ONE PLANT, TO ANOTHER.
POLLEN IS THE STUFF
THAT HELPS MAKE OUR FRUITS,
VEGETABLES, AND FLOWERS.

A bee pollinates a pink flower.

Text reads, “‘Nator Navigator”

Leo continues,
WITHOUT OUR POLLINATORS,
FLYING, BUZZING,
SLITHERING AROUND,
WE'D ALL BE GOING HUNGRY.
EVEN ME!
HOUSTEN AND CHLOE ARE IN THE
FIELDS HELPING THE EXPERTS.
SO, GRAB YOUR BOOTS
AND YOUR NET,
AND YOU CAN BE A POLLINHEAD,
TOO.

Text reads, “Leo’s Pollinators Explorer Club”

Leo, a red and blue fish, swims at the bottom of a lake. He looks at a monitor that shows images of butterflies.

Leo says,
I KNOW, I JUST SHOWED YOU
A LOT OF DIFFERENT BUTTERFLIES,
BUT THEY ARE ALL
SKIPPER BUTTERFLIES!
THE SKIPPERS ARE
ONE OF THE LARGEST FAMILIES
OF BUTTERFLIES IN CANADA.

A brown butterfly with white and orange markings crawls on a leaf.

Text reads, “Silver Spotted Skipper Butterfly”

Another orange and brown butterfly pollinates a purple flower.

Text reads, “Large Skipper Butterfly”

Leo adds,
AND TODAY, WE ARE GOING
TO MEET A BUNCH OF THEM.
I COME FROM A BIG FAMILY, TOO!
I LOVE 'EM ALL!
UH...EXCEPT MAYBE
MY COUSIN THEO.
HE'S ALWAYS GETTING
HIS WHISKERS
INTO EVERYONE'S BUSINESS.
MM-HMM.

Housten and Chloe carry butterfly nets through tall bushes.

Leo continues,
SERIOUSLY, THOUGH,
TODAY'S MISSION
IS HIGH ON MY PRIORITY LIST.
THE TEAM WILL BE HEADING INTO
THE WETLANDS - MY HOME!
TO CHECK UP ON THE SKIPPER
BUTTERFLIES
WITH OUR EXPERT,
LAURA TIMMS,
FROM CREDIT VALLEY
CONSERVATION.
THIS MISSION DIRECTLY AFFECTS
WHERE I LIVE!
THE SKIPPER BUTTERFLIES
ARE SPECIAL
BECAUSE THEY POLLINATE PLANTS
AROUND MY NEIGHBOURHOOD.
SO, NEW PLANTS CAN GROW
AND PROVIDE HOMES AND FOOD,
FOR ME AND MY FELLOW
WETLAND BUDDIES.
FISH, TURTLES, AND FROGS!
SO, I REALLY HOPE THE TEAM
SEES LOTS OF DIFFERENT
SKIPPERS TODAY
BECAUSE IT'S A SIGN
THAT THE ECOSYSTEM
THAT MAKES UP MY HOME
IS IN GOOD SHAPE!
THAT MEANS MY WETLAND BUDDIES
AND I ARE IN GOOD SHAPE, TOO!
IT'S GOING TO BE
AN ACTION-PACKED DAY!

Alton Grange, Caledon is marked on a map with an orange flag. A white flower is displayed on the flag.

Chloe and Housten stand with Laura in a field of tall grass. Chloe wears a blue t-shirt and a baseball hat. Her red hair is tied up in a ponytail. Housten wears an orange t-shirt and a tan Tilley hat.

Housten says,
I NEVER EXPECTED BUTTERFLIES
TO BE IN WETLANDS.

Text reads, “Laura Timms. Credit Valley Conservation, Biologist”

Laura holds a butterfly net at her side as she stands with Housten and Chloe in the tall grass. Laura wears a navy blue t-shirt, a blue baseball hat, and glasses. Her long dark hair curls out the back of the hat.

Laura responds,
ACTUALLY, WETLANDS
ARE REALLY DIVERSE HABITATS
WITH LOTS OF DIFFERENT
TYPES OF PLANTS
AND YOU CAN FIND LOTS
OF BUTTERFLY SPECIES THERE
AND OTHER POLLINATORS, TOO.

Housten asks, WHAT KIND?

Laura answers,
LIKE, BEES, AND BEETLES,
AND FLIES.
ALL KINDS OF THINGS.
I'M SURE WE'LL
SEE SOME TODAY.
DID YOU KNOW THERE'S EVEN
DIFFERENT KINDS OF WETLANDS?

Chloe replies,
HOW? I ALWAYS THOUGHT
THAT WETLANDS
WERE JUST MARSHES
WITH CATTAILS?

Text reads, “Cattails also known as bulrushes are members of the grass family”.

Laura says,
NO! WETLANDS, THERE'S, THERE
ARE SWAMPS, THAT HAVE TREES
GROWING IN THEM.
THERE ARE MEADOW MARSHES
LIKE WE'RE GONNA GO IN TODAY.
THERE'S THICKET SWAMPS, THAT
ARE REALLY HARD TO WALK TO.
AND THEN, THERE'S THE ONES
WITH MORE OPEN WATER,
LIKE YOU'RE THINKING OF.

Housten states,
I CAN'T WAIT TO GO SEE THEM!

Laura responds, ME TOO! LET'S GO!

Laura leads Chloe and Housten down a narrow path in a dense forest. They all carry butterfly nets.

Housten asks,
WHY DO YOU NEED TO KNOW
WHERE THE SKIPPER BUTTERFLIES
ARE IN THE WETLANDS?

Laura answers,
WELL, WHEN WE COLLECT DATA
OVER TIME, WE CAN FIND OUT
WHICH POPULATIONS, IF ANY,
OF THE BUTTERFLIES
ARE DECLINING.
WE'VE LOST A LOT OF WETLANDS
AROUND HERE,
AND SO, THAT MEANS THE SKIPPERS
HAVE FEWER PLACES
TO FIND FOOD
AND RAISE A FAMILY,
WHICH BRINGS THEM CLOSER
TO BEING EXTINCT.

Chloe replies,
SO, THE SURVEYS ARE REALLY
IMPORTANT, THEN.

Laura adds,
THEY ARE SUPER IMPORTANT.
AND AS WE'RE LOOKING
FOR BUTTERFLIES TODAY,
WE'LL TRY TO SEE IF WE CAN
JUST GET PHOTOS OF THEM,
THAT'S USUALLY WHAT I DO FIRST.
BUT SOME OF THEM, WE MIGHT NEED
TO CATCH WITH OUR NETS
SO THAT WE CAN LOOK AT THEM
CLOSELY TO IDENTIFY THEM.
SO, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT
TO KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING
WHEN YOU CATCH A BUTTERFLY
IN A NET,
AND YOU SHOULDN'T DO IT
UNLESS YOU'VE BEEN TRAINED
BY AN EXPERT, LIKE ME.

Laura, Housten, and Chloe stand in a clearing.

Laura says,
SO, I'LL SHOW YOU GUYS WHAT
TO DO. LET'S GO!
OKAY, GUYS, I'M GONNA SHOW YOU
HOW TO USE A BUTTERFLY NET.

Housten responds, OKAY.

Laura lifts her net.

She continues,
SO, PUT TWO HANDS ON THE
HANDLE.
AND WHAT YOU WANNA DO
IS A NICE, SMOOTH SWEEP,
COMING FROM UNDERNEATH.
SO, PRETEND THERE'S A BUTTERFLY
ON ONE OF THOSE FLOWERS.
I'M GONNA COME FROM UNDERNEATH,
SWEEP UP, AND THEN,
FLIP MY NET OVER, LIKE THAT
SO THAT IT CLOSES
AND THE BUTTERFLY CAN'T ESCAPE.

Housten says, OKAY.

Laura adds,
WHAT YOU DON'T WANNA DO
IS SMASH DOWN LIKE THAT
'CAUSE YOU COULD HURT
THE BUTTERFLY,
AND ALSO THE PLANTS.
SO, COME FROM UNDERNEATH,
FLIP OVER, JUST LIKE THAT.
GIVE IT A SHOT!

Housten asks,
OKAY, SO LIKE...THIS?

He swings his net upwards and flips it over quickly.

Laura responds,
A LITTLE BIT, BUT MAKE SURE
IT STAYS CLOSED AFTERWARDS
'CAUSE YOUR BUTTERFLY WOULD
HAVE FLOWN OUT RIGHT AWAY.

Housten replies, OKAY.

Chloe says,
HERE, LET ME TRY.
UM...
JUST KINDA LIKE THAT?

Chloe swings her net down and flips it in one smooth motion.

Laura responds,
YEAH. THERE YOU GO!
YOU GOT IT.

Chloe says, ALRIGHT!

Housten and Chloe continue to practice swinging their nets.

Chloe says, WAIT!

Laura points to a flower in the brush.

She says,
THERE YOU GO!
THERE'S A LEAST SKIPPER.
SEE IT FLYING,
THAT ORANGE THING?
GRAB IT!

Chloe catches a butterfly in her net.

Laura responds,
YOU GOT IT! GREAT WORK!

Leo watches Chloe and Housten on a monitor at the bottom of the lake.

Leo says, GO ON, CHLOE!

Laura looks in Chloe’s net.

Laura adds,
GREAT WORK! WE NEED A JAR.

(Gasps)

(Chuckling)

Laura carefully moves the butterfly into a glass jar.

She says, HERE WE GO.

(Jar lid clangs)

Laura closes up the jar.

She adds, THERE WE GO!

Chloe looks in the jar and smiles.

She says, OH, MY GOSH!

Housten asks,
WHAT DID CHLOE FIND?

Laura answers,
THAT'S A LEAST SKIPPER.

A Least Skipper crawls on a blade of grass. It has yellow wings with white markings.

Chloe responds, RIGHT.

Housten says,
GOOD JOB, CHLOE!

Chloe adds, THAT'S SO COOL!

The butterfly crawls up the side of the glass jar.

Laura says,
THESE GUYS LOVE LIVING IN
PLACES THAT LOOK JUST LIKE
THIS. NICE, WET MEADOWS.
LOTS OF TALL GRASSES.
AND THEY FLY SORT OF
IN BETWEEN THE GRASSES,
LIKE THEY'RE A BIRD
FLYING THROUGH THE JUNGLE.

Housten replies, OH!

Pictures of the Silver Spotted Skipper, Mangrove Skipper, and Taxiles Skipper caterpillars are shown.

Laura continues,
AND THEIR CATERPILLARS
EAT GRASSES,
SO THAT'S WHY THEY LIVE
IN PLACES LIKE THIS.
SO, THEIR CATERPILLARS MIGHT
GROW UP EATING SOMETHING
LIKE THIS, BEHIND YOU.
AND THE ADULTS
FEED ON NECTAR OF FLOWERS
AND BECAUSE THEY'RE SO SMALL,
THEY CAN FEED ON SMALLER
FLOWERS
THAN A LOT OF OTHER
BUTTERFLIES.
AND ONE FLOWER THEY LOVE IS THE
FLOWER YOU SEE ALL AROUND US.
DO YOU SEE THESE PINK FLOWERS
GROWING ALL AROUND US?

Housten and Chloe look around.

They respond, YEAH!

Laura adds,
SO, THIS IS A FLOWER
CALLED JOE PYE WEED.
IT LOVES BEING WET,
AND GROWING IN WET SPOTS,
AND SO, IT LOVES WETLANDS,
LIKE THIS.
IT'S A REALLY BEAUTIFUL FLOWER
AND YOU CAN USUALLY FIND
LOTS OF BUTTERFLIES ON IT.
SO, THIS GUY, YOU WANNA
TAKE A CLOSER LOOK, HOUSTEN?

Housten looks at the butterfly in the jar.

He says, WOW.

Laura asks,
SO, YOU SEE HOW IT'S ALMOST
ALL ORANGE?

Chloe says, YEAH.

Laura adds,
THERE'S ANOTHER BUTTERFLY,
ANOTHER SKIPPER,
THAT LOOKS A LOT LIKE THIS,
IT'S ALSO ALL ORANGE,
BUT THAT'S, IT'S ACTUALLY
AN INTRODUCED SPECIES.
IT'S CALLED
THE EUROPEAN SKIPPER.
AND THE WAY YOU CAN
TELL THEM APART IS,
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU NOTICE,
AT THE VERY END OF ITS ABDOMEN,
THE VERY END OF ITS BODY,
IT'S A LITTLE BIT POINTED.

Housten says, YEAH.

Laura continues,
SO, IT'S GOT KIND OF A POINTED
BUM, IF YOU WANNA THINK OF IT
THAT WAY.
AND THE EUROPEAN SKIPPER
HAS A ROUNDED BUM.
SO, THAT'S KIND OF ONE OF THE
EASIER WAYS TO TELL THEM APART.
SO, WE'RE GONNA WANNA LET
THIS BUTTERFLY GO, SOON.
IT'S NEVER A GOOD IDEA TO KEEP
BUTTERFLIES IN A JAR,
TOO LONG, ESPECIALLY ONE LIKE
THIS, THAT DOESN'T HAVE HOLES.
AND ON A HOT DAY, LIKE TODAY.

Chloe replies,
IT'S LIKE LEAVING A DOG
IN A HOT CAR FOR TOO LONG.

Laura says,
EXACTLY!
YOU DON'T WANNA DO THAT,
AND YOU DON'T WANNA DO IT
WITH BUTTERFLIES, EITHER.
ARE YOU GUYS READY
TO LET THIS BUTTERFLY GO?

Housten and Chloe nod.

They respond, YEP.

Laura says, OKAY!

Laura opens the jar. She taps on the glass and the butterfly flies into the sky.

Text reads, “What’s the Buzz? With Leo”

Leo looks at images of butterflies on the monitors at the bottom of the lake.

Leo says,
I THINK BUTTERFLIES ARE SOME
OF THE PRETTIEST POLLINATORS
ON THE PLANET.
NOW, THEY AREN'T AS EFFICIENT
AT POLLINATING
AS OTHER SPECIES, LIKE BEES,
AND IN ALL HONESTY,
THEIR KEY MOTIVATION
IS THAT SWEET NECTAR.
BUT EVERY LITTLE BIT
OF POLLINATION HELPS.
RIGHT, POLLINHEADS?
BUT JUST LIKE THE PLANTS
NEED POLLINATORS
TO HELP THEM GROW,
POLLINATORS ALSO
NEED THE PLANTS!
AND AS YOU KNOW, BUTTERFLIES
START THEIR LIFE AS EGGS,
WHICH TURN INTO CATERPILLARS,
AND WHO THEN EMERGE AS THOSE
BEAUTIFUL BUTTERFLIES
WE ALL ADMIRE.
BUTTERFLIES RELY ON PLANTS
TO LAY THEIR EGGS,
AND THE CATERPILLARS RELY ON
THE PLANTS FOR THEIR FOOD.
AND BUTTERFLIES CAN
BE PRETTY PICKY
ABOUT WHERE THEY LAY THEIR EGGS
BECAUSE THEIR CATERPILLAR YOUNG
ARE PICKY EATERS!
TAKE THE MOTTLED DUSKY WING,
FOR EXAMPLE.
THEY NEED THE NEW JERSEY
TEA PLANT, AND ONLY THAT,
FOR THEIR YOUNG.
SO, DON'T BE TOO QUICK,
POLLINHEADS,
TO THINK OF PLANTS AS WEEDS.
THEY COULD BE THE ONLY HOME
FOR A NEW GENERATION
OF BUTTERFLIES.

Laura catches another butterfly by a calm river.

(Jar lid rattles)

Laura captures the butterfly in the jar.

She says,
OH, NICE!
IT'S AN EYED BROWN!
HEY, CHLOE! HOUSTEN!
COME TAKE A LOOK!
WANNA SEE?

Chloe and Housten walk through tall grass carrying their nets. They approach Laura and look in the jar.

Housten replies, YEAH.

Chloe responds, WHOA!

Laura states,
IT'S AN EYED BROWN BUTTERFLY.

An Eyed Brown Butterfly appears. It has brown wings with circular black markings.

Chloe says,
IT KIND OF LOOKS SIMILAR
TO WHAT THE PEACOCK HAS.

Housten responds, YEAH!

Laura says,
THOSE EYES? YEAH.
PEOPLE THINK THAT THEY USE
THE EYES
TO SCARE PREDATORS AWAY.
BUT YOU SEE HOW IT'S GOT
A LITTLE BIT MISSING
OF ONE OF ITS WINGS?

Housten replies, YEAH.

Laura continues,
THAT MIGHT BE A SPOT WHERE
A BIRD TRIED TO GRAB IT.
THIS IS NOT ACTUALLY
A SKIPPER BUTTERFLY,
THIS IS IN A DIFFERENT FAMILY,
CALLED THE BRUSHFOOTS.
THEY'RE ACTUALLY THE FAMILY
WITH THE MOST SPECIES,
IN CANADA, AND IN ONTARIO.
THE EYED BROWN REALLY LIKES
LIVING IN OPEN WETLANDS
LIKE THIS.
IT LIKES FEEDING ON FLOWERS,
LIKE JOE PYE WEED,
THAT ARE ALL AROUND US.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT ELSE
THE ADULT BUTTERFLY EATS?

Chloe and Housten ask, WHAT?

Laura answers, POO.

Chloe says, WHAT?!

She covers her mouth. Housten looks disgusted.

He asks, WHAT?

Laura laughs.

She adds, IT'S TRUE!

Chloe and Housten respond, EW!

Laura continues,
SO, SOMETIMES YOU SEE THEM
LANDING ON MUD,
OR ANIMAL DUNG, UM...
'CAUSE THEY GET
NUTRIENTS FROM IT.
I KNOW, IT'S KINDA FUNNY.

Chloe asks,
WAIT, SO JUST LIKE
ANY ANIMAL'S POO?

Laura answers, YEP!

(Laughs)

Housten shakes his head.

He responds, OH, MY GOSH.

Laura states,
BUTTERFLIES
CAN BE PRETTY GROSS!

Laura leads Housten and Chloe down a narrow path. Housten swings his net.

He says, I GOT ONE!

Laura replies,
OH! LET'S SEE!
GREAT FIND, HOUSTEN!
YOU MUST'VE BEEN PRETTY FAST
TO CATCH THIS BUTTERFLY.

Laura holds the Housten’s butterfly in the jar.

Housten asks,
OH, REALLY? WHAT'D I GET?

Laura answers,
THIS IS A EUROPEAN SKIPPER.
SO, DO YOU REMEMBER
THE FIRST BUTTERFLY WE FOUND
WAS A LEAST SKIPPER,
AND I SAID THAT THE EUROPEAN
LOOKED A LOT LIKE IT?

Housten says, YEAH!

Laura adds,
SO, THIS ONE ALSO HAS ALL
ORANGE WINGS,
BUT IT HAS THE ROUND BUM,
NOT THE POINTY BUM.

(Laugh)

Laura continues,
SO, ONE THING ABOUT SKIPPERS
IS A LOT OF THEM ARE SMALL,
AND ORANGE, AND BROWN
SO, IT CAN BE HARD
TO TELL THEM APART.
TAKING GOOD PICTURES
CAN BE REALLY KEY.

(Camera snaps)

Pictures are taken of a European Skipper crawling on a green leaf.

Laura says,
WELL, I'M GLAD WE GOT TO SEE A
FEW SKIPPER BUTTERFLIES TODAY.
AND WE GOT TO SEE HOW BEAUTIFUL
ALTON GRANGE WETLAND IS.
AND IT'S SO BEAUTIFUL
BECAUSE IT'S BEEN PROTECTED
FOR A LONG TIME.
NOT ALL OF OUR WETLANDS
ARE AS LUCKY AS THAT.
SO, WE NEED TO WORK REALLY HARD
TO PROTECT THE ONES
THAT AREN'T.

Chloe responds,
I CAN'T BELIEVE HOW MANY
DIFFERENT KINDS
OF SKIPPER BUTTERFLIES THERE
ARE. AND THEY'RE SO SMALL!

Laura replies,
THEY'RE PRETTY AMAZING.

Housten asks,
WHAT KIND OF SKIPPER
IS YOUR FAVOURITE?

Laura answers,
WELL, THERE'S ONE I REALLY LIKE,
ALTHOUGH, I DO LIKE THEM ALL.
I LIKE THE SILVER-SPOTTED
SKIPPER.

Laura pulls a jar out of her pocket. Inside is another butterfly.

Housten responds, WHOA!

Chloe adds, THAT'S SO COOL!

Laura says,
I REALLY LIKE THE PATTERNS
ON ITS WINGS.

Chloe replies,
I CAN SEE WHY IT'S YOUR FAVOURITE.
THANKS FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU
ARE DOING TO HELP THE SKIPPERS.

Laura says,
THANKS FOR YOUR HELP TODAY.
AND THANKS FOR SPREADING
THE WORD, POLLINHEADS.
SO, NOW, LET'S RELEASE
MY FAVOURITE SKIPPER.

The butterfly crawls out of the jar and onto Laura’s hand. It flies into the sky.

(Gasps)

Housten and Chloe look excited.

Chloe responds, OH, MY GOSH!

Housten asks,
DID YOU SEE THAT?
I THINK THAT CALLS FOR A "HIGH
FLY."
THREE... TWO... ONE.

Laura, Chloe, and Housten bunch together and put their hands in the middle. They flutter their fingers.

Laura, Chloe, and Housten cheer,
HIGH FLY!

They raise their hands over their heads.

Chloe adds, WOO-HOO!

Clouds float over the lake.

Text reads, “PollinHeads Alert!”

Leo says,
POLLINHEADS ALERT!
LET'S HELP THE SKIPPER FAMILY
OF BUTTERFLIES GET THE
RESPECT THEY DESERVE!
SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT ALL THE
DIFFERENT SPECIES THERE ARE.
JOIN A CITIZEN SCIENCE PROJECT
AND COUNT THE ONES
IN YOUR AREA!
WE NEED THE SKIPPERS
TO HELP KEEP THE WETLANDS,
WHICH IS THEIR HOME,
AND MINE, THRIVING!
AND POLLINHEADS, MAKE SURE YOU
ALWAYS LOOK WITH YOUR EYES.
BE THEM BINOCULARED,
OR LENSED.
CAMERA LENS, THAT IS!
SKIPPER BUTTERFLIES
ARE ALWAYS CAMERA READY.
JUST LIKE ME!

Credits read, “Directed by Reem Morsi. Written by Emma Campbell. Created by Karen Hawes & Christopher Szarka. Produced by Christopher Szarka & Raj Panikkar. With Naomi Melvin as ‘Leo’ & Chloe Drayton, Housten Daghighi”

Text reads, “Fifth Ground Entertainment. Tvo kids”