Catching butterflies

“As temperatures have been getting warmer, what we’re predicting is that life events in animals are going to be occurring earlier and earlier. And butterflies have predictable life events that we can easily look at.”

Laura Hamon ’16 spent a summer catching butterflies. But more than that, the UNC biology major spent the summer understanding what butterflies can tell us about our changing climate—a topic she explored for her senior honors thesis. According to Hamon, butterflies and other pollinators have never been more important.

Hamon conducted her research with funding from the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program, which is designed to enhance the educational experience of undergraduates by engaging them in research opportunities.

Related Stories


How to Heal a Broken Heart

Celebrating a Presidential Day

Siblings Guide the Next Generation