November 2, 2011

A Garden Lesson:
Monarch Life Cycle and Biology

Kris Ethington and Stephanie Anfinson

What is all the hoopla about butterfly gardening? Is it the Monarch butterflies flitting through our gardens alighting on their favorite nectar flowers we planted just for them; or the gazillion caterpillars denuding our milkweed plants late summer and fall that fascinate us? Why are we so enthralled with gardening for nature anyway? Maybe it’s because we are all just children at heart who love the amazing discovery that results from our garden observations. In reality, we are all citizen scientists, constantly learning about the natural world through gardening.

Trained experts will lead you through a journey of scientific discovery with multiple hands-on teaching stations including live samples. You will not only learn the basics of  the Monarch life cycle from egg through adult, but also about the delicate balance of nature within the milkweed community, Monarch biology and parasites, and the importance of migration including a tagging demonstration. Become a student of nature for the day. All ages welcome!

November	1	Board Meeting	3:00 pm
November	2	Meeting and Program	1:00 pm
November	8	Civic Beautification-Pier	8:15 am
		Library, Marine Monument	9:00 am
		City Hall Rose Garden	10:00 am
November	10	Junior Gardeners-Marblehead	2:15 pm
November	16	Garden Therapy- turkey craft	1:00 pm
November	17	Civic Beautification-Casa	9:00 am
November	17	Junior Gardeners-Concordia	2:15 pm