Boston Flora

Tag: butterflies

  • Thursday, July 17, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm – Flowers that Fly: Habitat Gardening for Butterflies

    On Thursday, July 17, beginning at 7 pm in the Parkman Room at the Education Building, Elm Bank, 900 Washington Street, Wellesley, Sharon Stichter will share images and distinguish between larval host plants, giving examples for garden-friendly species, and nectar sources which appeal to a wide range of butterfly species. An annotated plant list for New England Gardens will be provided.

    Sharon Stichter has co-taught a course on pollinator gardening for the New England Wildflower Society, and presents to many garden clubs on the topic. She draws on her personal experience of creating a butterfly garden at her home in Newbury, Massachusetts. She was past Editor of the Mass Butterfly Club journal, author of the website The Butterflies of Massachusetts: A New Look at their History and Status, and a participant in several scientific studies on butterflies and climate change, with associated publications.  Mass Hort members $10, non-members $15.  Register by calling 617-933-4973, or visiting www.masshort.org. Photo by Lisa Daley-Bromberg courtesy of Massachusetts Audubon Society.

  • Monday, July 21, 10:30 am – 12:30 pm – Project Native: The Balance and Beauty of Natural Ecosystems

    Located in picturesque Great Barrington, Project Native is a non-profit, native plant nursery and wildlife sanctuary in Western Massachusetts.  In this diverse and beautiful natural ecosystem, Project Native inspires a love of nature that motivates visitors to create, restore, and maintain healthy landscapes.  To accomplish its mission, Project Native grows and sells native plants, maintains a wildlife sanctuary, produces experiential educational programs for all ages, and manages a native butterfly house.  The Ecological  Landscape Alliance tour on Monday, July 21 from 10:30 – 12:30 will include the Project Native Seed Bank, the Restored Woodland, Meadow, Native Plant Nursery, and Native Butterfly House.

    Opened in August 2013, the Native Butterfly House was developed in order to promote the connection between native habitats and local wildlife.  The new 35-by-55 foot structure encloses a garden of native plants grown at Project Native, all of which support the life cycle of native butterflies.  There is no single plant that provides all a butterfly needs to breed and feed.  Butterflies need a community of native plants, and different types of butterflies need different communities.  Join Karen Lyness LeBlanc to learn more about this intricate web and to explore the balance and beauty associated with native plants in the landscape.  $15 for ELA members, $25 for nonmembers.  Register online at https://www.eventville.com/catalog/eventregistration1.asp?eventid=1011084.

  • Tuesday, February 11, 7:30 pm – Phyto-Predation and Phylogeny of Lepidochrysops Butterflies and Relatives

    Yes, you read that right. February’s Cambridge Entomological Club meeting will be held on Tuesday the 11th at 07:30 PM in in room 101 of the Museum of Comparative Zoology. Dr Marianne Espeland will present a talk entitled From host plants to host ants: phyto-predation and phylogeny of Lepidochrysops butterflies and relatives.

    More than 99.99% of the approximately 200,000 described Lepidoptera species are phytophagous. Only around 500 species are aphytophagous and feed mainly on other insects or their secretions. Aphytophagy is most common in the butterfly family Lycaenidae where it has evolved independently several times, but mostly as single species in otherwise phytophagous clades. One exception is the Afrotropical genus Lepidochrysops, with 137 described species, all assumed to be predaceous on ant brood or fed by trophallaxis from the third instar until pupation. Little is known about their life history, the relationships among the five genera in the Euchrysops section, and even less about the relationships among species within Lepidochrysops. Dr Espeland’s aim is to infer a phylogeny of the Euchrysops section and answer questions about the evolution of predation and diversification of the group.

    If you can make head or tail of that description, the meeting is free and open to the public. Snacks will be provided and you are also welcome to join us at 6:00 PM for an informal pre-meeting dinner at the Cambridge Common.

    http://www.learnaboutbutterflies.com/Lepidochrysops%20quassi%207328-001a.jpg

  • Saturday, November 16, 9:00 am – 1:00 pm – Bring Nature into the Garden

    Join landscape designer Bridghe McCracken on Saturday, November 16 from 9 – 1 at Berkshire Botanical Garden for a detailed program on how to create a biodiverse garden habitat for birds, bees, butterflies, bats and dragonflies—good for both the garden and the gardener. This program will give participants practical knowledge for how to plan and provide for wildlife based on ecological principles. Learn about the plants and plans needed to design a garden full of life for the property. BBG members $40 nonmembers $50.  Register at 413-298-3926 or online at www.berkshirebotanical.org.

    Bridghe McCracken has been designing biologically vibrant landscapes for over ten years. Her design and building company, Helia Land Design, specializes in ecological landscape design, land stewardship, ecosystem restoration and designing food systems. She is a certified Organic Landcare Professional from the Northeast Organic Farmers Association. In 2006 she began a partnership with Project Native as their Chief Landscape Designer, which allows her to stay abreast of the latest available native plants. She teaches permaculture as an adjunct professor at Bard College at Simon’s Rock.

    http://helialanddesign.com/wp-content/files_mf/1272481144bridghe_who.jpg

  • Tuesday, February 12, 6:00 pm – Looking for Signs of Evolution: Bees, Butterflies, and Bacteria

    Naomi Pierce, Hessel Professor of Biology and Curator of Lepidoptera at the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard, will speak Tuesday, February 12, beginning at 6 pm at the Geological Lecture Hall, 24 Oxford Street, Cambridge on the topic Looking for Signs of Evolution: Bees, Butterflies, and Bacteria. Naomi Pierce examines the behavioral ecology of species interactions, such as insect/host plant associations, and the life history, evolution, and systematics of butterflies and other insects. Part of the Evolution Matters Lecture Series, supported by a generous gift from Drs. Herman and Joan Suit. Free and open to the public.  Free event parking in the 52 Oxford Street garage.

  • Sunday, January 20 – Friday, January 25 – The Kingdom of the Monarchs

    A Harvard Museum of Natural History Travel Program will take place Sunday, January 20 – Friday, January 25, 2012, entitled The Kingdom of the Monarchs. One of the world’s most astounding natural events occurs each year in North America, featuring one of its most unlikely creatures, the delicate monarch butterfly. Up to 300 million monarchs set flight on a remarkable 2,500-mile journey from the northeastern U.S. and Canada to their ancestral wintering grounds in the volcanic mountains of central Mexico. Until recently, the location of their breeding grounds remained a mystery. How an infant generation of butterflies finds it anew each year is still an enigma. Join this small group to experience this moving phenomenon, as well as Mexico ’s charming colonial villages.  The full itinerary and PDF of trip brochure will be available soon at www.hmnh.harvard.edu/travel/t_na_monarchs13.htm. $2,995 per person, with a $545 single supplement, if needed.  Photo from www.nathab.com.

  • Saturday, July 14 (raindate Sunday, July 15), 8:30 am – 4:00 pm – 23rd Annual Concord, Massachusetts Xerces/NABA Butterfly Count

    The NABA Butterfly Counts, a program for the North American Butterfly Association, is a compilation of all butterflies observed at sites within a 15-mile diameter count circle in a one-day period. The annually published reports provide a tremendous amount of information about the geographical distribution and relative population sizes of the species counted. Comparisons of the results across years can be used to monitor changes in butterfly populations and study the effects of weather and habitat change on North American butterflies.

    The 427 U.S. counts in 2011 were held in 47 states plus the District of Columbia. Florida led in number of counts (62, down from 68 last year), followed by California (28, down 3 from last year) and Michigan (22, up 4 from last year). Thirteen other states submitted 10-25 counts, 25 states reported 2-9 counts, and six states plus D.C. reported a single count. No counts were submitted from Hawaii, Kentucky, or Nevada.

    This year’s Xerces/NABA butterfly count will be held on Saturday, 14 July with a rain date of 15 July. Dick Walton hopes you will join him to continue the tradition.  There is a $3 fee for each count participant. Cost of the annual summary for all Xerces/NABA Counts is $6.00 ($4.00 for NABA members). Dick will provide a Concord Count summary to all participants.  So, oil up your nets and get ready. Meet at 7 Concord Greene # 8 in Concord at 8:30 A.M. Bring your own lunch. We will have a picnic and count down around 4:00 P.M.

    Please email to confirm your participation to dwalton@comcast.net and feel free to invite a friend and/or butterfly enthusiasts.

  • Saturdays, July 7 – July 21, 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm – Fun on the Farm

    Gore Place, 52 Gore Street in Waltham, will sponsor a series of family activities on Saturdays from July 7 – 21. Fun on the Farm (July 7), is a visit to the farm, the animals and gardens. Free. Fun With Butterflies (July 14), will feature activities in the mansion and gardens, $5 per. Fun with Weaving (July 21), is a hands-on activity for all ages with weaving instructor Beth Guertin, $5 plus material costs.For more information call 781-894-2798, or email events@goreplace.org.

  • Through Mid-September, 2011, 11:00 am – 4:00 pm – Franklin Park Zoo’s Seasonal Butterfly Exhibit

    Visitors will once again be able to stroll through Franklin Park Zoo’s tented outdoor exhibit, filled with hundreds of free-flying, beautiful butterflies! Don’t miss this tranquil experience, which features garden beds, a waterfall, pond, and soothing music. Hours are 11 – 4 (Monday – Friday) and 11 – 5 (weekends.) Admission $16 for adults, $13 for seniors, $10 for children 2 – 12, children under 2 free. Franklin Park Zoo is located at 1 Franklin Park Road in Dorchester, and you may find more information by calling 617-541-5466, or logging on to www.franklinparkzoo.org.

  • Butterflies of Massachusetts Website

    Our gardening friend Kim Smith sent an interesting link to us, which we now share with you, a new resource—the Butterflies of Massachusetts website, www.butterfliesofmassachusetts.net. Created by Sharon Stichter, Butterflies of Massachusetts “offers a comprehensive review of the current status of butterflies in the state. It is designed as a resource for all those interested in these charismatic insects, including butterfly enthusiasts, conservationists, biologists, land managers, and wildlife professionals.”  Ecologically speaking, the Appalachian Mountains and Atlantic coastal plain are largely self-contained, allowing unrestricted north-south movement of individual butterflies and migratory populations. The information found on the new Butterflies of Massachusetts website represents many years of data compiled by Sharon Stichter and the Massachusetts Butterfly Club.  Below is a common checkered-skipper.