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The state insect is set in statute (RSMo §10.070), so changing it takes a bill, but the path is real, and citizens have walked it before.
The state insect is set in statute (RSMo §10.070), so changing it takes a bill, but the path is real, and citizens have walked it before.
A state representative or senator introduces a bill. Many state-symbol designations started exactly here, with a classroom or hobbyist group that found a willing legislator.
It clears committee, then wins a vote in the Missouri House and the Senate. Symbol bills are popular, bipartisan, and feel-good, which helps.
One signature and the Regal Fritillary is official. The crown is secured.
Don't know what to say to a legislator? Say this. Pick the message that fits you, tap copy, swap in your details, and email it to your representative and senator. Short, friendly and personal beats long and formal every time.
The straightforward ask: replace the honeybee with a true native.
Dear [Representative/Senator] [Last Name], My name is [Your Name] and I live in [Your Town], in your district. I'm writing to ask you to sponsor or support a bill naming the Regal Fritillary butterfly (Speyeria idalia) Missouri's official state insect. Our current state insect, the honeybee, isn't native to Missouri (it was brought from Europe in the 1600s), and sixteen other states already use it. The Regal Fritillary is a true Missouri native: a spectacular tallgrass-prairie butterfly that no other state claims, and its healthiest remaining population survives right here in Missouri. In 2024 it was proposed for federal Endangered Species Act protection. A state symbol bill is a small, bipartisan, feel-good act that would give Missouri a one-of-a-kind emblem and shine a light on our vanishing prairie heritage. Thank you for your time and your service. Sincerely, [Your Name] [Your Town], MO [Email or Phone]
Many state symbols started as class projects. Here's the letter.
Dear [Representative/Senator] [Last Name], We are [a student / the students of Ms./Mr. ___'s class] at [School Name] in [Your Town]. We have been learning about Missouri's native insects, and we would like to ask you to sponsor a bill making the Regal Fritillary butterfly Missouri's state insect. Here is what we learned: the Regal Fritillary is a big, beautiful orange-and-silver butterfly that lives on Missouri's tallgrass prairies. Its caterpillars can only eat violets! It is disappearing across America, and its healthiest remaining population is right here in Missouri. Our current state insect, the honeybee, actually comes from Europe and is the symbol of sixteen other states. We think Missouri deserves a symbol that is truly ours. Many state symbols started with a class like ours, and we hope you can help make this one official. Thank you for reading our letter! Sincerely, [Names / Class, Grade] [School Name], [Your Town], MO
Pro tip: fill in the [brackets] and add one personal sentence about why the prairie or this butterfly matters to you. Personal notes get read.
Look up your Missouri House member and send a short, friendly note asking them to sponsor or support the bill.
OPEN LOOKUP →
Do the same with your Missouri Senate member. Two short messages can put a symbol bill on someone's radar.
OPEN LOOKUP →
Add your voice for a state insect that's actually from Missouri. Then send that note to your legislator. That's what turns a fun idea into a real bill.