(Bright music plays)

A child says, WHEE!

tvokids + Fifth Ground Entertainment Original.

(Giggling)

A narrator says, IT'S ME, LEO!

Leo is a red and blue fish swimming in front of two monitors with the Leo’s Pollinators logo.

Leo says, THE EXPLORER CLUB
IS ON A NEW MISSION.

Text reads, Leo’s Pollinators Explorer’s Club. TVOkids Presents.

Leo says, WE'RE HELPING THE POLLINATORS,
THOSE AMAZING CREATURES
WHO MOVE POLLEN FROM ONE PLANT,
TO ANOTHER.

Videos play of worms, bees, bats, butterflies, lemurs and moths.

Leo says, POLLEN IS THE STUFF THAT HELPS
MAKE OUR FRUITS,
VEGETABLES, AND FLOWERS.
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.

The Leo’s Pollinators Explorer’s Club logo is displayed.

Leo says, SO, POLLINHEADS,
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THIS
BEAUTY?

Leo gestures to a moth-like pollinator shown on one of the monitors.

Leo says, I BETCHA, ON FIRST GLANCE,
YOU'D SAY...
WHY, THAT'S A LOVELY MOTH, LEO.
BUT YOU'D BE WRONG!

Under a video of the pollinator, text reads, mottled duskywing butterfly.

Leo says, YES, YOU READ THAT NAME RIGHT.
OUR NEW FRIEND IS A BUTTERFLY.
THE MOTTLED DUSKYWING
BUTTERFLY,
OR MDB, AS I LIKE TO CALL THEM,
ARE OFTEN MISTAKEN FOR MOTHS
BECAUSE OF THEIR APPEARANCE.

An image of a male gypsy moth is compared to an MDB.

Leo says, THE MDB'S ARE IMPORTANT
POLLINATORS
BECAUSE THEY HELP
POLLINATE PLANTS
THAT FEED OTHER CREATURES,
LIKE BIRDS.

A bird sits on a tree branch.

Leo says, MDB'S ARE CALLED
AN INDICATOR SPECIES.
THEY ARE LIKE THE MEGAPHONES
OF THE ECOSYSTEM.

A siren wails as colours flash on a monitor with the word, attention. Leo speaks into a megaphone.

Leo says, THEIR DISAPPEARANCE IS
LIKE A BIG ANNOUNCEMENT
THAT OTHER PARTS
OF THE ECOSYSTEM
ARE IN TROUBLE, TOO!
SADLY, THEY DON'T
HAVE A MEGAPHONE
TO GET EVERYONE'S ATTENTION!

Leo lets the megaphone float away.

Leo says, BUT I DO.
MDB'S ARE IN BIG TROUBLE!
THEY'RE THE ONLY BUTTERFLY
ON THE ENDANGERED LIST,
AND THAT MEANS THEY COULD
BECOME EXTINCT.
AND WE HAVE TO HELP STOP THAT
FROM HAPPENING.
THE POLLINHEADS HAVE A SUPER
IMPORTANT MISSION TODAY.

A flag is pinned in Marmora, Ontario on a map of Canada.

Leo says, THEY'LL BE HELPING JESSICA
AND HER TEAM
TO NET, MARK, AND SURVEY
THE MDB'S IN THE AREA.
SO, THEY HAVE A BETTER
UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT
THEY CAN DO, TO HELP OUR
WINGED POLLINATOR PALS
NOT ONLY SURVIVE BUT THRIVE.

A woman with light coloured hair holds a bug catching net. She stands with Chloe, Housten and a woman with brown hair also holding nets.

The woman with light hair says, SO, THE REASON THAT
WE'RE HERE AT THIS SITE
IS FOR TWO PARTICULAR REASONS.
THE FIRST ONE IS TO SEE
HOW MANY INDIVIDUALS
THERE ARE IN THIS POPULATION.

Text reads, Jessica Linton, Natural Resource Solutions, Biologist.

Jessica says, AND THE SECOND REASON WE'RE
HERE IS TO COLLECT FEMALES
FOR OUR CAPTIVE REARING PROGRAM
AT THE CAMBRIDGE BUTTERFLY
CONSERVATORY.

The Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory is pinned in Cambridge, Ontario on the map of Canada.

A person says, IT'S AMAZING
THAT YOU CAN HELP
THE MOTTLED DUSKYWING
IN THAT WAY.

Jessica says, IT SURE IS.
SO, TODAY, CHLOE,
YOU AND I ARE GONNA BE
MARKING BUTTERFLIES
SO THAT WE CAN LATER
RESIGHT THEM.

Chloe has red hair.

The woman with brown hair says, AND HOUSTEN, YOU AND I
ARE GONNA BE SIGHTING TODAY,
WHICH MEANS, WE'RE GONNA BE
LOOKING FOR BUTTERFLIES
THAT JESSICA AND I
HAVE ALREADY MARKED,
AND SEEING IF THERE'S
ANY LEFT STILL IN THE AREA,
AND WHAT THEIR BEHAVIOUR
MIGHT BE.

Text reads, Amber Lavictoire, Natural Resource Solutions, Researcher. Housten has curly black hair. Amber hands him a pair of binoculars.

Jessica says, SO, TODAY, I'M GONNA SHOW YOU
HOW TO CATCH BUTTERFLIES SAFELY
SO THAT WE DON'T HARM THEM
WHILE WE'RE DOING IT.
WHEN I SEE A BUTTERFLY, I WANNA
MAKE SURE THAT I APPROACH
VERY SLOWLY
SO I DON'T SCARE IT AWAY,
AND THEN, YOU NET IT
VERY QUICKLY.

Jessica demonstrates how to net a butterfly by quickly swinging it.

She says, AND ONE OF THE KEY THINGS
IS THAT YOU FLIP YOUR NET
LIKE THIS SO THAT THEY GET
TRAPPED IN THE BOTTOM
AND THEY CAN'T JUST FLY OUT
OF THE NET.

Jessica demonstrates flipping her net.

She says, AND THEN, WHAT WE TRY TO DO
IS TRANSFER THEM
OVER TO THE CONTAINER WE'RE
GONNA USE TO MARK THEM,
WITHOUT TOUCHING THEM AT ALL,
SO WE DON'T HURT THEIR WINGS.

Chloe says, SOUNDS AMAZING.

Jessica says, SO, YOU GUYS READY
TO TRY THAT?

Chloe and Housten say, YEAH!

Amber says, LET'S DO IT!

Jessica says, OKAY, LET'S DO IT!

Jessica and the group walk toward a forest. Housten attempts to catch a butterfly with his net. Chloe swings and flips her net. Housten makes another attempt.

Jessica says, OH, GOOD TECHNIQUE!
YOU GOT IT! FLIP YOUR NET OVER.

Housten says, OH, I GOT IT!

Jessica says, GOOD JOB!

Chloe says, OH, MY GOSH.

Housten says, I GOT ONE.

Jessica says, GREAT, SO NOW, WE WANNA
HOLD THE NET LIKE THIS.

Jessica pinches the end of the net, trapping the butterfly.

She says, NOW, YOU CAN SEE THE BUTTERFLY
THROUGH THE NET.
NOW, THAT BUTTERFLY IS CALLED
A COMMON RINGLET.

Housten says, OH.

Jessica says, SO, SINCE THIS ISN'T
A MOTTLED DUSKYWING,
WE'LL LET IT GO.
SO, DO YOU WANNA HOLD THIS,
OPEN YOUR NET UP
AND LET IT FLY OUT?

Jessica lets the butterfly free.

She says, THERE HE GOES!

Chloe says, OH!

Jessica laughs with Chloe and Housten.

Jessica says, GREAT JOB, HOUSTEN.

Housten says, COOL!

Chloe asks, WHY ARE MOTTLED
DUSKYWINGS
ON THE ENDANGERED LIST?

Chloe and Jessica walk through tall grass.

Jessica says, WELL, MAINLY BECAUSE THEY'VE
LOST A LOT OF THEIR HABITAT.
AND IN THOSE HABITATS, THEY
DEPEND ON SPECIFIC PLANTS.
IN ONTARIO,
IT'S NEW JERSEY TEA,
AND ONE IS PRAIRIE REDROOT,
WHICH IS THIS FLOWER
RIGHT HERE.

Jessica points to a plant.

She says, SO, THE ADULTS LIKE
TO NECTAR ON THE FLOWERS,
AND THE CATERPILLARS,
THESE ARE THE ONLY PLANTS
THAT THEY CAN EAT.

Toronto is identified on the map.

Jessica says, SO, UNLIKE A LOT
OF BUTTERFLIES,
LIKE MONARCH BUTTERFLIES,
FOR EXAMPLE,
THAT MIGRATE ALL THE WAY
TO MEXICO EVERY YEAR,
MOTTLED DUSKYWINGS STAY IN
THE SAME PLACE ALL YEAR LONG.
SO, IF THIS PLANT DISAPPEARS,
THEN SO DO THE BUTTERFLY,
AND THAT CAUSES A CHAIN
REACTION
THROUGHOUT AN ENTIRE
ECOSYSTEM
BECAUSE EVERYTHING
IS REALLY INTERCONNECTED.

Chloe gasps.

She says, OH, THERE'S ONE OVER THERE!

Chloe catches a mottled dusywing with her net.

She says, GOTCHA!

Jessica says, SO, WE'RE GONNA GET
THIS BUTTERFLY
INTO ONE OF OUR CONTAINERS.

Jessica gets the butterfly in a small container and takes it out of the net.

She says, OKAY. HERE'S ANOTHER ONE
THAT WE CAN MARK.

Chloe says, IT'S SO COOL!

Housten says, THIS IS AN INTERESTING PLACE,
BUT I THOUGHT BUTTERFLIES
WOULD PREFER TALL GRASS,
LIKE MEADOWS?

Housten and Amber walk on a trail.

Amber says, YEAH, SO BUTTERFLIES,
JUST LIKE PEOPLE,
HAVE THEIR OWN UNIQUE SPOT
THAT THEY LIKE TO HANG OUT,
AND THIS ONE'S ESPECIALLY COOL
BECAUSE IT'S AN ALVAR,
WHICH MEANS IT HAS REALLY THIN
SOIL AND SPARSE VEGETATION,
KINDA LIKE A GRASSLAND.

Housten says, AND ALL ALONG THE SIDE
OF THE ROAD?

Amber says, YEAH, SO LUCKY FOR US,
THE MOTTLED DUSKYWING
LIKES THIS PLANT OVER HERE,
THAT'S ITS FOOD,
AND IT GROWS RIGHT
ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD,
SO, YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO
FURTHER.

Housten says, WHAT AM I KEEPING MY EYES
PEELED FOR EXACTLY?

Amber says, SO, WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING
FOR THEM,
YOU'RE GONNA BE LOOKING
OR THE ONES THAT JESS AND I
ALREADY MARKED WITH NAIL
POLISH.
SO, YOU'LL BE LOOKING FOR
BRIGHT SPOTS OF COLOUR
LIKE PINK, OR ORANGE, OR BLUE,
AND THEY'LL STAND RIGHT OUT
AGAINST THE GREEN BACKGROUND.

Housten asks, ARE THE LARVAE BROWN?

Amber says, SO, THE LARVAE ARE ACTUALLY
A BRIGHT, LIME GREEN COLOUR
AND THEY HAVE TWO LITTLE
BLACK DOTS ON THEM
THAT KIND OF LOOK LIKE EYES,
AND TWO LITTLE PINK DOTS THAT
KINDA LOOK LIKE ROSY CHEEKS.

Housten says, WOW, THE BABIES SOUND CUTE!

Amber says, YEAH, I THINK SO.

Chloe says, DID YOU KNOW, THE
MOTTLED DUSKYWING BUTTERFLY
ISN'T JUST ONE
OF THE CUTEST LARVAE
IN THE SKIPPER FAMILY
OF BUTTERFLIES,
IT IS ALSO ONE OF THE FIRST
BUTTERFLIES
TO EMERGE IN EARLY MAY.

Chloe speaks in front of a screen showing a larvae.

She says, THE WAY THE MOTTLED DUSKYWING
BUTTERFLY
LIFE UNFOLDS IS THIS:
THE FEMALE MDB LAY THEIR EGGS
IN MID TO LATE MAY AND JUNE.
WHEN THE EGGS HATCH,
THEY TURN INTO CATERPILLARS,
AND THEN, THEY MAKE SMALL LEAF
NESTS FOR THEMSELVES.
THEY'RE ALSO ONE OF THE ONLY
BUTTERFLIES TO DO THIS.
THEY LIVE IN THE NEST, AND GO
IN AND OUT OF THE NEST, TO EAT.

A caterpillar rests in a nest.

Chloe says, ONCE WINTER COMES,
THE BUTTERFLIES GO INTO
A HIBERNATION,
WHICH IS CALLED A "DIAPAUSE"
AND THEN,
THEY EMERGE AS BUTTERFLIES
IN EARLY SPRING.
JESSICA AND HER TEAM THINK,
IT'S LIKELY THE CHANGE
IN TEMPERATURE THAT CUES
THE CATERPILLAR TO START
TURNING INTO A BUTTERFLY,
OR "PUPATE",
BUT THEY'RE NOT SURE.
THAT'S WHY WE NEED TO KEEP
RESEARCHING THESE WONDERFUL,
UNIQUE BUTTERFLIES.
NOW YOU KNOW.

Chloe pulls the butterfly container out of Jessica’s backpack.

Chloe asks, WHY DO YOU KEEP THEM
IN A COOLER?

Jessica says, WELL, THE COOLER HELPS
BASICALLY PUT THEM TO SLEEP.
THEY BECOME VERY INACTIVE
AND IT MAKES IT EASIER FOR US
TO MARK THEM.

Chloe asks, HOW DO YOU MARK THEM WITHOUT
HURTING THEIR WINGS?
BECAUSE I'VE ALWAYS BEEN TOLD
NEVER TO TOUCH A BUTTERFLY'S
WINGS.

Jessica says, THAT'S A REALLY GREAT
QUESTION.
USUALLY, YOU DON'T WANT TO
TOUCH A BUTTERFLY'S WINGS
BECAUSE IT REMOVES THE SCALES.
SOME BUTTERFLIES, LIKE
MONARCHS, HAVE STRONG SCALES
AND THEY DON'T LOSE THEM
AS EASILY.
BUT MOTTLED DUSKYWING
ARE REALLY SENSITIVE.
SO, WHEN WE MARK THEM,
WE'RE GONNA TRY NOT TO TOUCH
THEM AT ALL.

Jessica uses tweezers to guide the butterfly out of its container.

She says, SO, WE'RE GONNA USE AN
INSTRUMENT THAT'S KIND OF SHARP
TO REMOVE A TINY BIT OF SCALES
FROM THEIR WINGS,
AND THAT EXPOSES THE CLEAR
MEMBRANE UNDERNEATH.
THEN, WE CAN TAKE A TINY DROP
OF NAIL POLISH,
PUT IT ON THEIR WING,
AND THAT WILL MARK
THE BUTTERFLY
FOR WHEN WE WANT TO GO BACK
AND RESIGHT IT.

Chloe says, AND YOU'RE SURE
IT WON'T HURT THEM.

Jessica marks the butterfly.

She says, THE KEY IS THAT WE'VE WORKED
ON THIS TECHNIQUE
FOR A LONG TIME
AND IT'S IMPORTANT
THAT ONLY THE PROFESSIONALS
DO THE MARKING.

Chloe says, FOR SURE.

Jessica says, THERE.

Housten uses the binoculars.

He says, THERE'S ONE, RIGHT THERE!

Amber says, YEAH, YOU GOT IT.
YOU'RE GETTING REALLY GOOD
AT THIS.

Housten chuckles.

Amber says, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN ALSO TELL
THAT THEY'RE A MOTTLED
DUSKYWING WHEN THEY FLY AWAY
BECAUSE THEY FLY SUPER LOW
TO THE GROUND.

Housten says, OOH! SHE'S HUNGRY!

Amber says, THIS IS ACTUALLY CALLED
NECTARING,
SO, THEY'RE EATING THE NECTAR,
AND THE PLANTS BENEFIT AS WELL
BECAUSE IT ACCIDENTALLY
BRINGS POLLEN
FROM ONE FLOWER TO THE NEXT.

Housten says, OH!

Amber says, SO, WE'RE GONNA RECORD
WHERE WE FOUND THIS ONE
AND WE HAVE TO USE
A GPS DEVICE FOR THAT.
SO, WE'RE GONNA GO
RIGHT ON HERE,
WE'RE GONNA HIT "FIND"
AND GET THE COORDINATES,
AND THEN, THESE TWO NUMBERS
RIGHT HERE ARE THIS EXACT SPOT.

Amber shows Housten the GPS device.

Leo says, A VERY COOL THING
ABOUT MDB'S,
WELL, IT'S ACTUALLY TRUE
OF ALL BUTTERFLIES:

Text reads, What’s the Buzz? With Leo.

Leo says, BUTTERFLIES TASTE
THROUGH THEIR FEET.
THEIR FEET HAVE ITTY,
BITTY RECEPTORS ON THEM
THAT ARE LIKE THE TASTEBUDS
ON YOUR TONGUE,
AND THAT'S HOW THEY ENJOY
ALL THAT SWEET NECTAR
THEY LOVE SO MUCH.

Butterflies sit on flowers.

Leo says, CAN YOU IMAGINE TASTING YOUR
DESSERT THROUGH YOUR TOES?
WOW!
IF I WAS A BUTTERFLY,
I WOULD BE SUPER CAREFUL
OF WHAT I LANDED ON.

Chloe says, YIKES! WON'T THAT HURT IT?

Jessica holds the butterflies wing with tweezers.

She says, NO. WE TAKE A REALLY,
REALLY TINY SAMPLE
FROM AN AREA OF THE WING
THAT WON'T AFFECT ITS FLYING,
OR ITS BEHAVIOUR.
THE REASON THAT
WE WANNA DO THAT
IS BECAUSE WE WANNA UNDERSTAND
BETTER ITS DNA,
THE THINGS THAT MAKE IT
THE SPECIES THAT IT IS.

Jessica drops a sample into a tube Chloe holds.

Jessica says, BUT YOU'RE RIGHT,
IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT
THAT YOU NEVER TAKE A CLIP
FROM A BUTTERFLY WING
UNLESS YOU'RE A TRAINED
PROFESSIONAL.

Chloe says, SO, WILL YOU TAKE THEM BACK
TO THE CONSERVATORY
FOR BREEDING?

Jessica says, SO, WE WANNA LEAVE
THE ONES THAT ARE HERE, HERE,
SO THAT WE CAN STUDY THEM
AND THAT THEIR POPULATION
REMAINS STRONG AND STABLE.

Chloe says, SO, WHAT WILL HAPPEN
TO THE ONES
THAT ARE BORN
AT THE CONSERVATORY?

Jessica says, THE ONES FROM THE
CONSERVATORY WE'RE RAISING
FOR OUR REINTRODUCTION PROJECT
AT PINERY PROVINCIAL PARK
THIS YEAR.

Chloe asks, WHY THERE?
WHY NOT BRING THEM BACK HERE?

Jessica says, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
SOME OF THEM WE DO BRING BACK
HERE IN ORDER TO REPLENISH
THE POPULATION THAT WE TOOK,
BUT MOST OF THEM WILL BE GOING
TO PINERY PROVINCIAL PARK
BECAUSE IT USED TO HAVE
A POPULATION
BUT IT DOESN'T ANYMORE,
AND WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE
THE HABITAT BETTER THERE
AND BRING THE BUTTERFLIES BACK
TO WHERE THEY USED TO LIVE.

Chloe says, THAT'S AWESOME. I REALLY HOPE
THEY LAY LOTS OF EGGS.

Jessica says, ME TOO.

Jessica and Chloe meet up with Housten and Amber.

Jessica says, OH, GREAT JOB TODAY, GUYS!

The group drops their butterfly nets on a table.

Jessica says, AND TO THANK YOU, I WOULD
LIKE TO MAKE YOU HONOURARY
ONTARIO BUTTERFLY SPECIES
AT RISK RECOVERY TEAM MEMBERS.

Jessica pass t-shirts with butterflies to Housten and Chloe.

Jessica says, HERE IS A SPECIAL T-SHIRT
FOR EACH OF YOU.

Chloe says, THANK YOU SO MUCH!

Jessica says, YOU'RE WELCOME.

Amber says, AND YOU GUYS MAKE SURE THAT
YOU TELL ALL YOUR FRIENDS
AND FAMILY ABOUT IT
BECAUSE THE MOTTLED DUSKYWING
NEEDS ALL THE HELP IT CAN GET.

Chloe says, THIS CALLS FOR SOMETHING
CALLED A "HIGH FLY".

Chloe faces Jessica and Housten faces Amber. They all hold their arms out straight, pointed downward.

Housten says, PUT YOUR HANDS IN.

He counts, THREE…

Chloe counts, …TWO…

The group wiggles their fingers.

Chloe counts, …ONE…

Chloe and Housten say, …HIGH FLY!

(Laughter)

Housten cheers, WOO!

Leo says, POLLINHEADS ALERT!

A graphic reads, PollinHeads Alert.

Leo says, ATTENTION FELLOW POLLINHEADS,
THESE POLLINATOR PALS
NEED YOUR HELP,
AND ONE OF THE BEST WAYS
IS BY GETTING OUT IN THE FIELD
AND HELPING TO SPOT THEM
IN YOUR AREA.

Leo watches a video of Jessica, Chloe, Housten and Amber on the trail.

Leo says, IT'S CALLED A BUTTERFLY BLITZ
AND THEY ARE HOSTED BY YOUR
LOCAL CONSERVATION GROUPS.
BY LETTING JESSICA
AND HER TEAM KNOW
WHERE THEY ARE HANGING OUT,
HELPS THEM TO HELP THE MDB'S.

Housten looks through binoculars.

Leo says, SO, GET OUT YOUR BINOCULARS
AND…

Leo speaks into a megaphone.

Leo says, …BE AN ECOSYSTEM MEGAPHONE
LIKE THE MOTTLED DUSKYWING
BUTTERFLY!
THAT MEANS,
TELL EVERYONE ABOUT
HOW IMPORTANT THESE
BEAUTIES ARE,
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY,
ALWAYS WATCH BUTTERFLIES
FROM A DISTANCE.
NEVER, EVER TAKE THEM HOME
IN A JAR.

A butterfly flies out of a net.

Leo says, DEAL?
I LOVE MY NEW MEGAPHONE.
WHY'D IT TAKE ME THIS LONG
TO GET ONE?

(Bright music plays)

Leo watches credits roll.

Directed by Reem Morsi.

Written by Emma Campbell.

Created by Karen Hawes and Christopher Szarka.

Produced by Christopher Szarka and Raj Panikkar.

With Naomi Melvin as ‘Leo’ and Chloe Drayton and Housten Daghighi.

Produced in association with tvokids.

Fifth Ground Entertainment.