At the age of twenty two, Richard H. Ebright surprised the scientific world with the publication of his theory on how cells work. It was the first time a scientific journal published the works of a young scientist. He had begun his work on butterflies.

His mother encouraged his interest in learning. She was his only childhood friend and companion. She took him on trips, bought him scientific equipments and helped him in many other ways. She also supported his collecting butterflies. She opened the world of science to him by introducing him to Dr Frederick A. Urquhart of the University of Toronto, Canada.

Richard had an interest in collecting butterflies since childhood. To support it, his mother gifted him Dr Urquhart’s book, ‘The Travels of Monarch X’. The book told how monarch butterflies migrate to Central America and asked the students to help study butterfly migrations by tagging the butterflies for research by Dr Urquhart. His mother contacted the doctor and thus Ebright started tagging butterflies for Dr Urquhart. Later, he sought suggestions and guidance in his projects from Dr Urquhart. Thus the book opened the world of science to the eager young collector. 

Ebright's mother was a source of great encouragement since he was a kid. She took him on trips, bought him telescopes, microscopes, cameras, mounting materials, and other equipments that helped him in many ways.