21135 Hairstreak Blonde Beer FB1_FNLGAINESVILLE, Fla. — The Florida Museum of Natural history is partnering with First Magnitude Brewing Co. on a new beer to help highlight the federally endangered Bartram’s scrub-hairstreak butterfly.

The beer will debut during a special event on March 30 from 5 to 8 p.m. at First Magnitude, 1220 SE Veitch St. Entry is free, but those who donate to the museum will receive discounts on Bartram’s Blonde beer, drinking glasses and T-shirts.

A $10 donation will include $1 off all beers and $15 will include a signature glass and $1 off all beers.

“We’re excited to highlight another species that the incredible people at the Florida Museum are working hard to protect,” said Simon McClung, brewer’s assistant at First Magnitude.

Bartram’s Blonde is a straw colored, sweet pilsner malt base balanced by a floral, soft hop character with light citrus notes.

The beer will only be available at First Magnitude through spring except for some cans that will be sent to “Nomad’s and Tiffin’s” in the Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World.

This will be the fourth beer to launch in a pack of six beers for butterfly conservation.

The Bartram’s scrub-hairstreak is a small, federally endangered butterfly endemic to extreme South Florida. It once occurred in pine rockland habitat throughout Miami-Dade and Monroe counties. Over time, their populations have declined significantly, primarily due to habitat loss and fragmentation.

“Today, the butterfly is extremely limited in distribution,” said Jaret Daniels, an associate curator of Lepidoptera who oversees the Bartram’s scrub-hairstreak breeding program in the Florida Museum’s McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity.

Currently the butterfly occurs in the greatest numbers within the National Key Deer Refuge in the Lower Florida Keys and Everglades National Park on the southern Florida mainland.

The museum’s Bug Week Scavenger Hunt will be held on April 7 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m in honor of UF’s annual Bug Week. It will include a free scavenger hunt at the museum where teams will be given bug-related clues and can win prizes.

The UF entomology department will also have a Bug Zoo near the “Discovery Zone” during the event.

For more information about the Bartram’s Blonde release visit www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/event/bartrams-blonde or call 352-273-2022.

For more information on the Bug Week Scavenger Hunt visit www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/event/bug-week-scavenger-hunt or call 352-846-2000.

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Writer: Jessica Finkel, 352-273-2032, PRintern@flmnh.ufl.edu
Source: Jaret Daniels, 352-273-2022, jdaniels@flmnh.ufl.edu
Media contact: Paul Ramey, 352-273-2054, pramey@flmnh.ufl.edu