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OTTUMWA, IOWA -- It may not look like the first day of spring outside, but spring was in full swing at the Bridgeview Center Saturday.

The Iowa Horticulture Society Convention offered visitors a taste of spring with vendors giving presentations, tips and useful gardening strategies.

Kathleen Ziemer, owner of ButterflieZ of Iowa, presented the importance and benefit of butterflies in your garden.

Butterflies act as pollinators for your plants.

They need both a host plant and nectar sources.

“Butterflies are looking for food, shelter, and water. They want the right flowers, the right host plant, the right nectar source.  The want shelter in the form of bushes that provide them an opportunity to get away from predators or out of the weather and they are looking for water. If you provide those three things you will have butterflies,” said Ziemer.

Those who attended her presentation learned tips to building a successful butterfly habitat.

For more information on ButterflieZ of Iowa click here.