While Don’s formal training is chemistry with a PhD from the University of Kansas, he has always been fascinated by the insect world. Upon retirement, he and wife Chris relocated from Pennsylvania to Texas where he has been busy ever since converting his backyard into a butterfly and wildlife sanctuary. Don’s interest in native plants has been nurtured by leading a small group growing native plants for Mercer Botanic Gardens. He also conducts area “Butterfly Counts” for the North American Butterfly Association and hosts an annual Monarch tagging event at his backyard near Magnolia. His articles on butterfly host plants have appeared in American Butterflies magazine.