Events Archive

Thursday, January 28

  WABC Monthly Meeting — "State of Virginia Wildlife Database"

7:30 p.m. Long Branch Nature Center, Arlington, VA. Speaker: Kathy Quindlen. Kathy is the Online Service Coordinator for the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. She will speak on "The Virginia Department of Game & Inland Fisheries' Wildlife Information Online." Her talk will include a demonstration of how to access the Department's web system of databases to search for species occurrences and to view information on fish and wildlife species in Virginia. She will also briefly describe VA's Wildlife Mapping program, which is a great place to report sightings of butterflies and other wildlife.

Thursday, February 24

  WABC Monthly Meeting — "Beginning Butterfly Gardening"

7:30 p.m. Long Branch Nature Center, Arlington, VA. Speaker: Barbara Farron. Information will be included on butterfly plants which grow well in this area, butterflies which can be attracted to a suburban yard, and raising caterpillars.

Thursday, March 16

Exploring Belize: Habitat and Life Styles

7:30 p.m. Naturalists Jack Schultz and Helen Kavanaugh will speak on their travels in this Meso-American paradise: butterflies, tropical birds, reef fishes and ancient cities. Monthly meeting of the Audubon Naturalist Society, Woodend Headquarters, Mansion, 8940 Jones Mill Road, Chevy Chase, Maryland.

Friday, March 17

Dragonflies and Damselflies of Cove Point

8 p.m. Slide lecture about this unusual habitat just south of Calvert Cliffs State Park in southern Maryland, presented by local odonata expert Richard Orr. Regular monthly meeting of the Maryland Entomological Society, held in Room 461, Schwartz Hall (Building 20), University of Maryland, Baltimore County, 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, MD.

Thursday, March 23

  WABC Monthly Meeting — The "Meadow Management Plan" for Pepco's Power Line Rights-of-Way

7:30 p.m. Presented by Pepco's chief forester, Steve Genua. ROWs provide some of the best butterfly habitat in the region. How these lands are managed to control unwanted vegetation is a major concern for butterfly conservationists. This regular meeting of the WABC will be held at the Audubon Naturalist Society Woodend Headquarters, Gate House, 8940 Jones Mill Road, Chevy Chase Maryland.

Thursday, April 13

Making a Garden for Monarchs

7-9:30 p.m. ANS members: $15; nonmembers: $20. A workshop for naturalists, teachers and interested individuals, conducted by butterfly expert Denise Gibbs. An Audubon Naturalist Society program.

Wednesday, April 19

Just for Teachers: Create a Habitat Garden for Monarch Butterflies

9:30 a.m. - noon. Fee: $5. A workshop for teachers, home-schoolers, daycare providers and others, taught by butterfly expert Denise Gibbs. Plants that attract Monarchs, rearing butterflies, ideas, seeds to take home. At Black Hill Regional Park, 209 Lake Ridge Drive, Boyds, Maryland. Register by 4/12.

Thursday, April 20

Marking the Migrating Monarch Butterfly

7:30 p.m. WABC members Mark Garland, Denise Gibbs and Pat Durkin will discuss their adventures observing fall-migrating Monarchs for Sweet Briar College research biologist Dr. Lincoln Brower, one of the continent's leading experts on the phenomenon. Denise and Mark have observed the migration for several years at Chincoteague and Cape Charles respectively and have gained invaluable insight into the phenomenon. From her boat in the mouth of the Chester River, last year Pat made the first known systematic observations of migrating Monarch flight behavior over water. Monthly meeting of the Audubon Naturalist Society, Woodend Headquarters, Mansion, 8940 Jones Mill Road, Chevy Chase, Maryland.

Thursday, April 27

WABC Monthly Meeting—"Butterflies Throughout the World"

7:30 p.m. Bob Robbins, an entomologist with the Smithsonian Entomology Department and formerly its chairman, is a world-renowned expert on tropical hairstreaks. He will take us on a world tour of butterflies that compares butterfly diversity with that of birds and mammals. He will also discuss the differing biologies of temperate and tropical butterflies. Bob's program will be preceded by Barbara Farron's brief presentation on the butterfly promenade planned for Alban Towers Condominium in upper Northwest D.C. Long Branch Nature Center, 625 Carlin Springs Rd., Arlington, VA.

Thursday, April 27 and Sat.-Sun., April 29 & 30

South Jersey Birds & Butterflies

(Thursday Evening: 7:30- 9 p.m.) ANS members: $50; nonmembers: $70. Evening lecture and weekend field trip to New Jersey's Cape May, Atlantic beaches and salt marshes, inland pine barrens, and white cedar swamps. Led by senior naturalist Mark Garland. An Audubon Naturalist Society Adult Foray.

Sunday, April 30

Butterflies of Green Ridge State Forest

10 a.m.-3 p.m. ANS members: $20; nonmembers: $28. The Olympia Marble, Silvery Blue, Pine Elfin, Falcate Orangetip and Cobweb Skipper are among the uncommon butterflies that are springtime possibilities at this forested park in western Maryland. Led by butterfly expert Dick Smith. An Audubon Naturalist Society Adult Foray.

Saturday, May 6

  WABC Field Trip: Richard G. Thompson Wildlife Management Area, Linden, VA

9:30 a.m.-?? p.m. Among the acres of blooming Large-flowered Trilliums at this forested park in Virginia's Blue Ridge country, uncommon butterfly possibilities include West Virginia White and Appalachian Azure. A Washington Area Butterfly Club field trip led by butterfly expert Dick Smith. Limited to WABC members and guests. Free but registration required.

Sunday, May 7

  Spring Butterflies of the Soldiers Delight Serpentine Barrens with Dick Smith

1:00-4:00 p.m. Free and open to general public. Meet at the Soldiers Delight Visitors' Center off Deer Park Rd. west of Owings Mills, Baltimore Co., MD. On a hike that will cover about 2 miles, we will attempt to encounter as many spring butterflies as the barrens has to offer in early May. The abundant field chickweed, rock cress, sandwort, blue-eyed grass, and remaining moss phlox that occur about the barrens at this time should draw in many spring-form Tiger and Spicebush Swallowtails and the rare, but locally frequent, Dusted Skipper. Also, female Cobweb Skippers and Pine Elfins should still be around. We should encounter American and Painted Ladies at this time, and the Pearl Crescents should be numerous. See you there! Sponsored by Soldiers Delight. Registration requested.

May 13 through July 16

Wings of Fancy at Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD

10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Fee: $3 per person over age 3. Annual live butterfly show. Mostly natives, including the Baltimore Checkerspot. In the south conservatory. Brookside Gardens, 1800 Glenallan Avenue, Wheaton, MD.

Saturday, May 20

How to Photograph Butterflies

10 a.m. -?? p.m. Lecture and field practice with William B. Folsom, author of the new book Art and Science of Butterfly Photography. Book signing by author begins at 9 a.m. Sale of plants that attract butterflies, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. WABC will have a table. Meadowlark Gardens, Vienna, VA. Sponsored by Meadowlark Gardens.

Saturday, June 17

  WABC Field Trip: Baltimore Checkerspots, Thurmont, Maryland

The club's annual trek to check on the progress of our mascot colony of Baltimore Checkerspots, west of Catoctin Mountain Park. Day includes BYO picnic and stops at other sites. Led by butterfly expert Dick Smith. Limited to WABC members and guests. Free, but registration required.

Saturday, June 24

Western Montgomery County Butterfly Count

9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fee: $3. Tally Rally follows at 5 p.m. Always the first and usually best-attended of the region's annual "July 4" butterfly counts. Sponsored by the Audubon Naturalist Society.
[Note]

Manassas National Battlefield Park Butterfly Count

9 a.m.-2 p.m. Meadows, pond. Lunch at Shoney's. Contact Nicky Staunton. [Note]

Monday, June 26 – Thursday, June 30

Butterflies of the Maryland Piedmont

9:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. daily. Fee: $125, includes van transportation, resource guides, insect net, butterfly field guide. A four-day, 16-hour course/workshop for teachers and other interested adults to gain skills in butterfly identification and knowledge of butterfly life histories. Emphasis on outdoor field study. One MSDE credit available for Maryland public school teachers. Taught by butterfly expert Denise Gibbs at Black Hill Regional Park, 20926 Lake Ridge Dr., Boyds, Maryland. Space limited to 13 adults.

Wednesdays, June 28 to August 9

Butterflies — U.S. Department of Agriculture Summer Natural History Field Studies Program

Wednesdays from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.; field trips July 1, July 22, and August 5. Tuition: $184. Class taught by Denise Gibbs at Brookside Gardens, 1800 Glenallan Ave., Wheaton, MD.

Saturday, July 1

Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge Butterfly Count, Woodbridge, VA

Counters limited, experienced butterfliers only. Contact Kim Hosen OR Jim Waggoner. [Note]

Tuesday, July 5 through August 7

Butterfly Garden at The Artists' Undertaking Gallery, Occoquan, VA

Watercolors by Carolyn Strobinger, stained glass by Erwin Straubinger. The Artists’ Undertaking Gallery, 309 Mill Street, Occoquan, VA. M-F 10:30-4:30, Sat-Sun 11-5.

Thursday, July 6

Advanced Butterfly Studies with Dick Smith

Class Thursday evening, July 6, 7:30 to 9:30 p.m., and all-day field trip July 8. ANS members: $30; Nonmembers: $42. Two-part class taught by Dick Smith focuses on hard-to-identify species. Class at Audubon Naturalist Society, 8940 Jones Mill Rd., Chevy Chase, MD, and field trip to Little Bennett/Black Hill parks.

Saturday, July 8

Bath County Butterfly Count,VA

An overnighter, with the possibility of seeing the Diana (Speyeria diana). Contact Eric Raun. [Note]

Sunday, July 9

Gardening for Butterflies with Denise Gibbs at the National Arboretum, D.C.

Lecture, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m; butterfly walk, 1:00 to 2:30. $10 fee required for both morning and afternoon sessions. The morning lecture will cover the art of planting a garden to attract butterflies. The afternoon walk will concentrate on looking for butterflies in relationship to their plant context. A part of the Arboretum's Big Bugs Program, which runs from June 1 through October 31, 2000. Registration required by July 1.

Saturday, July 15

Annual Prince Georges County Butterfly Count

For information call Lisa Bierer Garrett at the Clearwater Nature Center. [Note]

Sunday, July 16

Northern Shenandoah Butterfly Count, Front Royal, VA

Meet 9 a.m. at Front Royal McDonald's. Riparian to mountainside. Contact Scott Deuweke. [Note]

Full Moon Picnic and Bug Walk — Moths and Other Fliers with Alonso Abugattas

7 p.m. to 10 p.m. $10 fee. A part of the National Arboretum's Big Bugs Program, which runs from June 1 through October 31, 2000. Registration required.

Wednesday July 16 and Sunday July 23

Introduction to Dragonflies and Damselflies at Patuxent National Wildlife Refuge

ANS members: $30; Nonmembers: $42. Biology and behavior, including full-day field trip at Patuxent NWR. Led by expert Richard Orr. Sponsored by Audubon Naturalist Society.

Saturday, July 22

Butterfly Class at Oatlands Plantation, VA

Taught by expert Nate Erwin. Sponsored by Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy and Airlie Environmental Studies Program. Oatlands Plantation.

Northern Fairfax County Butterfly Count, Riverbend Park Nature Center

Contact Alonso Abugattas for information. [Note]

Howard County Butterfly Count, Ellicott City and Columbia area.

For information, contact Rondie Reezer. [Note]

Sunday, July 23

Bees, Butterflies and Blossoms: The Biology of a Partnership

9 a.m.-1 p.m. ANS members: $18; Nonmembers: $25. Enticement, entrapment, other plant strategies. Led by expert David Flaim. Sponsored by Audubon Naturalist Society.

District of Columbia Butterfly Count

8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Contact Pat Durkin for information. [Note]

July 27 and July 29

Natural History of Caterpillars

ANS members: $30; Nonmembers: $42. Identification skills, defense strategies, ant associations, etc. Two-part program taught by Nate Erwin, director of the Smithsonian Insect Zoo. July 27 from 7:30 to 9:30 and field trip to Hughes Hollow on July 29 from 2 to 9 p.m. Audubon Naturalist Society, 8940 Jones Mill Road, Chevy Chase, MD.

Saturday, July 29

Nassawango Creek Butterfly Count, Maryland Eastern Shore

10a.m.-4 p.m., sponsored by the Maryland/DC Chapter of The Nature Conservancy. Contact Bill Bostian. [Note]

Sunday, July 30

Butterflies of the Delaware Shore with Dick Smith and Stephanie Mason

ANS members: $24; Nonmembers: $36. A new field trip to brackish marshes and riverine habitats at Woodland Beach and Little Creek wildlife areas, and Bombay Hook NWR. Possibilities: Broad-winged Skipper, Aaron’s Skipper, Delaware Skipper, Bronze Copper. Led by expert Dick Smith, assisted by ANS senior naturalist Stephanie Mason. Sponsored by Audubon Naturalist Society.

Delmarva Tip Butterfly Count, Cape Charles/Kiptopeke, Virginia Eastern Shore

Contact Mark Garland. [Note]

Saturday, August 5

Waterford, Virginia, Butterfly Count, Loudoun Co.

9 a.m. on. Sponsored by Loudoun County Wildlife Conservancy. Contact Joe Coleman. [Note]

Saturday, August 12

Concert of the Bugs with Vocal Arts International

7-9 p.m. $10. Classical to modern, performed by Vocal Arts International. National Arboretum Auditorium, 3501 New York Ave., NE, Washington, DC. Reserve by Aug. 1.

Saturday, August 19

Pollinators and Other Garden Good Guys at Green Spring Gardens Park

9:30 - 11:00 a.m. Fee: $5.00. Scott Aker, horticulturist from the National Arboretum, will help us understand why we should tolerate and encourage not just butterflies but many insects. He'll identify these insect allies and explain their roles in the garden. The class will start indoors and then move outside for an insect hunt. Reservations required.

Sunday, August 20

Summer Butterfly Stroll

9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. ANS members: $18; Nonmembers: $25. Identification and habitats for beginners. Led by ANS senior naturalist Mark Garland. Sponsored by Audubon Naturalist Society.

Thursday, August 24

Storytime: Dancers In the Garden, at Meadowside Nature Center in Rockville, MD

Session 1: 9:30-10:30 a.m. Session 2: 1:30-2:30 p.m. Ages 3-6 with Adult. Free. Come learn about hummingbirds--and a moth that looks like a hummingbird. Held at Meadowside Nature Center in Rock Creek Regional Park, 5100 Meadowside Lane, Rockville, MD. Reservations required.

Saturday, August 26

Butterflies of Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Woodbridge, VA

9 a.m.- noon. Free. Riverine and upland habitats at the confluence of the Potomac and Occoquan rivers. We will be carpooling from the parking lot. Led by Pat Durkin; assisted by Dick Smith. Sponsored by Washington Area Butterfly Club. Limited to 25 WABC members and guests. Register by August 23. Contact Pat.

Bugs 101 in Clifton, VA

1 - 9 p.m. ANS members: $24; Nonmembers: $36. What’s a bug? What’s an insect? ANS Webb Sanctuary in Clifton, Va. Led by expert Cliff Fairweather. Sponsored by Audubon Naturalist Society.

Annual 4th of July Butterfly Counts, sponsored by the North American Butterfly Association, take place all over the country — a great chance for beginners to learn from the experts. The $3 individual fee, paid to leader on the day of the count, goes to NABA for maintaining the nationwide database of this information. You may also order a booklet containing all the data collected for the year for another $9. Please register with the leader ahead of time and bring correct cash for your fee and booklet.

A special butterfly double-header, led by Dick Smith:

Sunday, September 3

Butterfly Walk at Centennial Park, Howard County, MD

9:30 a.m. to 12 noon. Free and open to general public. Sponsored by Howard County Bird Club, a chapter of the Maryland Ornithological Society. Dick Smith will lead a one-mile walk along park paths through lakeside, field, and marsh habitats with plentiful nectar plants, such as Joe-Pye Weed, thistle, New York ironweed, and swamp milkweed. Unexpected butterflies encountered in previous years were American Snout, Sleepy Orange, and Pipe Vine Swallowtail. Close-focus binoculars are recommended, although catch-and-release examination will be included. Meet at the west-end parking lot off Centennial Lane. Directions to the parking lot are as follows: from Capital Beltway (Rte. 495) in Maryland, take Rte. 29 (Columbia Pike, Exit 30) north for about 15 miles to Rte. 108 (Clarksville Pike, Exit 21). Drive west on Rte. 108 for 2 miles. Turn right at 3rd stoplight onto Centennial Lane. Follow Centennial Lane for 3/4 mi. to Centennial Park west parking lot on right. Meet at far (eastern) end of parking lot. For more information, contact Dick Smith.

Sunday, September 3

Butterfly Hike at Soldiers Delight Serpentine Barrens, Owings Mills, MD

1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. Free and open to general public. Sponsored by Soldiers Delight Visitors' Center. Led by Dick Smith. Preceded by short presentation on barrens butterflies. Meet at Soldiers Delight Visitors' Center, Deer Park Rd., Owings Mills, MD. The Soldiers Delight Serpentine Barrens in western Baltimore County, Maryland, is the largest local area for viewing prairie-like grassland conditions and the many uncommon butterfly species associated with this unique habitat. In early September, the fields there are flush with grass-leaved blazing star that will attract uncommon skipper species and other late-summer butterflies for close observation. One example is the regionally rare and strikingly colored Leonard's Skipper, which is locally common at Soldiers Delight at this time of year. The afternoon's activity will begin with a short slide presentation at 1:00 p.m. on the butterflies of the barrens. For the hike to follow, close-focus binoculars are recommended, although catch-and-release examination will be included. Directions to the Soldiers Delight Visitors' Center are as follows: Take west side of Baltimore Beltway (Rte. 695) north to Liberty Rd. (Rte. 26), Exit 18. Take Liberty Rd. west for about 5 miles and turn right onto Deer Park Rd. (just before the large water tower). Follow Deer Park Rd. for 2 miles to the Visitors' Center entrance on the left. For more details, contact Dick Smith.

Wednesday, September 6

Storytime: Flying Colors, at Meadowside Nature Center in Rockville, MD

1:30-2:30 p.m. Ages 3-5 with Adult. Free. Come and learn about butterflies. Held at Meadowside Nature Center in Rock Creek Regional Park, 5100 Meadowside Lane, Rockville, MD. Reservations required.

Thursday, September 7

Storytime: Flying Colors, at Meadowside Nature Center in Rockville, MD

9:30-10:30 a.m. Ages 3-5 with Adult. Free. Come and learn about butterflies. Held at Meadowside Nature Center in Rock Creek Regional Park, 5100 Meadowside Lane, Rockville, MD. Reservations required.

Friday, September 8

Adult Morning Hike at Black Hill Visitor Center in Boyds, MD

8:00-11:30 a.m. Free. Come explore habitats for birds, butterflies and wildflowers around the lake. Meet at Black Hill Visitor Center. Call Meadowside Nature Center in Rock Creek Regional Park to make reservations.

Saturday, September 9

Down in the Meadow... at the Audubon Naturalist Society, Chevy Chase, MD

10:00-11:00 a.m. Ages 4 and up with Adult. ANS members: $8 per child; Nonmembers: $10 per child. See who's living in Woodend's meadow and play a meadow game.

Sunday, September 10

The Late Summer Meadow, an Audubon Naturalist Society Adult Foray

9:00 a.m. - Noon. ANS members: $15; Nonmembers: $20. Join naturalist Stephanie Mason for a closer look at the late-summer web of life in both wet and dry meadows at Clark's Crossing along the W&OD bike trail in Vienna, Virginia. Plenty of flowers will still be in bloom, attracting butterflies and other pollinators as well as their predators.

Sunday, September 10

Monarchs on the Move at the Webb Sanctuary, Clifton, VA

1:00 - 2:30 p.m. Free. Learn more about the amazing Monarch and other butterflies.

Wednesday, September 13

Late Summer Ramble at the Webb Sanctuary in Clifton, VA

10:00-11:00 a.m. Free. Take a mid-week ramble around the woods and meadows looking for late-season butterflies, migrating birds, fall wildflowers, and signs of the changing season.

Friday, September 15 through Sunday, September 17

Natural History Weekend at the Wintergreen Resort in Wintergreen, Virginia

Retreat fee is $95. Three days of lectures and field trips focusing on a variety of natural subjects including butterfly and dragonfly migration, botany, and geology.   Held in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. Cosponsored by The Wintergreen Nature Foundation and the Virginia Museum of Natural History. Fee of $95 does not include accommodations. Group rates available. No discount for partial attendance. There will be a special Virginia Natural History Weekend Retreat package available for accommodations at Wintergreen Resort.

Saturday, September 16 through Sunday, September 17

Natural Heritage Weekend: Cape Charles, Section A, an Audubon Naturalist Society Adult Foray

8:00 a.m. Sept 16 - 5:00 p.m. Sept. 17. ANS members: $45; Nonmembers: $63. (Does not include meals or lodging.) Migrant songbirds, raptors, and Monarch butterflies congregate at Cape Charles in the fall. Visit outstanding natural areas around Cape Charles, including Kiptopeke State Park and the Eastern Shore of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge, and learn about leader Mark Garland's Monarch butterfly research project being conducted at Cape Charles. Excellent time to observe diversity of butterflies, songbirds, and hawks.

Saturday, September 16

Gardening with Butterflies at Meadowlark Gardens, Vienna, VA

10:00 a.m. Fee: $5.00. Horticulturist Laurie Short will talk about Meadowlark's Butterfly Garden, its function, and why certain plants are grown in this area. Participants will learn how to increase the butterfly population on their property, what to grow, and the proper upkeep of plants. Handouts provided. Reservations required.

Sunday, September 17

Katydids! Caterpillars! Crickets! Oh My! at the Audubon Naturalist Society, Chevy Chase, MD

Noon - 1:30 p.m. Ages 4 to 10 with Adult. ANS members: $8 per child; Nonmembers: $10 per child. What happens to caterpillars when they grow up? What are they doing to prepare themselves for fall? What's that sound in the trees? Discover the answer to these questions and more and make an insect craft to take home.

Sunday, September 17

Lookout For Butterflies with Dick Smith, an Audubon Naturalist Society Adult Foray

Full-day Field Trip. ANS members: $24; Nonmembers: $34.  Point Lookout State Park's location at the southern tip of Maryland's St. Mary's County makes it a concentration point for the early fall movement of butterflies. While Monarchs are migrating to Mexico, many southern species are still expanding their ranges northward. In addition to large numbers of Monarchs, Buckeyes and Painted Ladies, possibilities include Cloudless Sulphur, Little Sulphur, Sleepy Orange, Long-tailed Skipper, and Ocola Skipper.

Saturday, September 23

The Great Insect Fair at Penn State, Entomology Building

10:00 - 4:00.  Free. The Insect Fair, hosted by the Penn State Department of Entomology, has been held for about the past 10 years. It is a gala and elaborate event for insect lovers with well over 1000 people attending each year. Members of The Maryland Entomological Society will be exhibiting insect collections. There will be games and activities for kids and adults of all ages including live insect races, performances, fly tieing, honey collecting, exhibits, computer programs, entomophagy, 4-H groups, and even cricket spitting contests. For further information on carpooling, etc., contact Fred Paras at: 410-462-7654 (W).
For more info on general Maryland Entomological Society meetings and projects, e-mail Dick Smith (MES Secretary) at: Richard.Smith@jhuapl.edu.

Sunday, September 24

Annual Fall Picnic of the Maryland Entomological Society at the Robert T. Mitchell Butterfly Farm

11:30 - 4:00.  Free. All are welcome to join the MES for their annual Potluck Picnic and fall organizational kickoff. Bring a dish to share! There will be field and forest nature walks with a diversity of flora and fauna to observe. The Robert T. Mitchell Butterfly Farm is located at 343 Fairhaven Road, Tracys Landing, MD. Directions from Washington: Take Route 4 up to Route 258 and exit East on 258. Follow to light and make a right on Route 2 South. Go ~1 ½ miles and make left at Route 423 which is Fairhaven Rd. Follow ~1 ½ miles to #343 (look for third drive on right after red barn). For further information on carpooling, etc., contact Fred Paras at: 410-462-7654 (W).
For more info on general Maryland Entomological Society meetings and projects, e-mail Dick Smith (MES Secretary) at: Richard.Smith@jhuapl.edu.

Thursday, September 28

WABC Monthly Meeting at Long Branch Nature Center, Arlington, VA

7:30 p.m. Speaker: Pat Durkin, Monitoring Monarchs Across the Chester River. Last fall in her sailboat, Pat monitored the southbound migration of Monarch butterflies across the mouth of Maryland's Chester River. She will share her adventures and what she learned about the Monarch's flight strategies in the wind.
Directions from Washington Beltway (495), VA exit 8/Route 50: Drive north on Route 50 about 5 miles. Turn right onto Carlin Springs Road. The nature center is about 1/3 mile on the left behind a doctor's office building; the sign and driveway are just beyond the building (just before the building for those coming from Columbia Pike). Drive behind the building and down the wooded driveway. Map 16-G-8 on ADC No.Va. map.

Thursday, September 28 - Friday, September 29

Trip to Cape May, NJ, an Audubon Naturalist Society Weekday Escape

ANS members: $45; Nonmembers: $63. (Does not include meals or lodging.) Cape May is a haven for naturalists in autumn, with many birds and Monarchs streaming past daily. Spend time at the famous Cape May hawk watch with the possibility of hundreds or even thousands of migrant Merlins, Peregrines, and Kestrels. Then meet with researchers from Cape May's Monarch Monitoring Project and visit gardens where Monarchs and other butterflies may be abundant. Visit marshes, fields, and forests around Cape May in a broad-based search for wildlife. Those particularly interested in the Monarch migration may wish to stay an extra day: on Saturday, September 30, Dr. Lincoln Brower, one of the country's leading experts on the Monarch butterfly, will be leading a walk and giving a lecture for the Cape May Bird Observatory.

Friday, September 29

Wooly Bear Hike at Meadowside Nature Center in Rockville, MD

9:30-10:30 a.m. Ages 3-6 with Adult. Fee: $1.00. Come search for Wooly Bears, legendary "predictors" of winter weather, and make your own to take home. Ages 3-6 with Adult. Held at Meadowside Nature Center in Rock Creek Regional Park, 5100 Meadowside Lane, Rockville, MD. Reservations required.

Tuesday, October 3

Monarch Migration, offered by Brookside Nature Center in Wheaton, MD

11 am - 3:30 pm. Ages 12 to Adult. Fee: $8. (Payment due by 9/26) Each fall, thousands of Monarch butterflies head south for the winter. There are special places along the rivers and bay where Monarchs congregate in huge numbers. We'll visit one such place by boat to appreciate their splendor. Reservations required. Brookside Nature Center is in Wheaton Regional Park, 1400 Glenallan Avenue, Wheaton, MD.

Sunday, October 8

Natural Heritage Hike: Bull Run Mountain, an Audubon Naturalist Society Adult Foray

Full day hike. ANS members: $24; Nonmembers: $36. Leader: Cliff Fairweather. The Bull Run Mountains bring a bit of the Appalachians to the middle of Virginia's Piedmont. On this full day, we'll make a leisurely exploration of the Bull Run Mountains Natural Area. The preserve, owned by the Virginia Outdoor Foundation and managed by the Friends of Bull Run, hosts ecosystems that are increasingly imperiled in our region. We'll keep our eyes open for birds, fall wildflowers, late season butterflies, and reptiles and amphibians as we hike to the ridgetop. All participants must sign a release and waiver of liability to gain access to the property. Participants should feel comfortable with some rather steep uphill and downhill walking.

Tuesday, October 10 - Wednesday, October 11

Van Tour of Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, Assateague Island, VA

7 am Oct 10 - 8 pm Oct 11.  $50. (Does not include meals or accommodations) Offered by Black Hill Visitor Center, Boyds, MD. Witness firsthand the changes and events occurring in the natural world during autumn on the Atlantic Coast. Enjoy birding during the peak of hawk migration and see Bald Eagles, Peregrine Falcons, Ospreys, and Merlins. You will also spend time observing Herons, Egrets, shorebirds, waterfowl, and other wildlife. Take part in a scientific study by tagging migrating Monarch butterflies with a naturalist and research biologist. Free time will be included for beach-combing and relaxing. Call for a listing of accommodations. Black Hill Visitor Center is in Black Hill Regional Park, 20926 Lake Ridge, Boyds, MD.

Saturday, October 14 - Sunday, October 15

Natural Heritage Weekend: Cape Charles, Section B, an Audubon Naturalist Society Adult Foray

8:00 a.m. Oct 14 - 5:00 p.m. Oct 15. ANS members: $45; Nonmembers: $63. (Does not include meals or lodging.) Migrant songbirds, raptors, and Monarch butterflies congregate at Cape Charles in the fall. Visit outstanding natural areas around Cape Charles, including Kiptopeke State Park and the Eastern Shore of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge, and learn about leader Mark Garland's Monarch butterfly research project being conducted at Cape Charles. The October trip is timed for the peak diversity of raptor migration, an excellent time for Monarch migration, and the arrival of many late-season migrant birds.

Friday, October 20

Biological Studies of the Migration of the Monarch Butterfly, a lecture by Dr. Lincoln Brower, Greenbelt, MD

3 pm in the Building 3 Auditorium. Free. Dr. Lincoln Brower, a national authority on Monarch butterflies, will talk about Monarch migration at Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD. The talk is sponsored by Goddard Space Flight Center. You need to reserve 24 hours in advance if you wish to attend.

Friday, October 20

Bugged Out Day at Meadowside Nature Center, Rockville, MD

9:30 am - 5:00 pm A day of insect-related children's activities. Activities include the following:
9:30 - 10:30 am: Butterfly Pinwheels. Ages 3 - 7 with Adult. Fee: $1. Watch the whirling butterfly colors spin in the wind. A close look at these scaly-winged insects.
11 am - noon: Butterfly Magnets. Ages 3 - 7 with Adult. Fee: $1. Bring the uniqueness of butterflies inside year-round with butterfly magnets.
1 - 2 pm: Buzz Wreath. Ages 3 - 7 with Adult. Fee: $2. Create a daisy wreath adorned with many magical insects.
3:30 - 4:30 pm: Buzz Frame. Ages 3 - 7 with Adult. Fee: $2. Bring a touch of nature inside. Frame a favorite picture with a floral frame and winged wonders.
4 - 5 pm: Movies. All Ages. Free. Enjoy movies about insects, including the naturalists' favorite, Why Did the Beetle Cross the Road?
Reservations required. Meadowside Nature Center is located in Rock Creek Regional Park, 5100 Meadowside Lane, Rockville, MD.

Tuesday, October 24

Macro Photography Workshop: Insects, at the Northern Virginia Photo Society, VA

7:45 pm. Free. Fred Siskind, a published photographer of insects and a member of the Washington Area Butterfly Club, will give a macro photography workshop focusing on insects at the Northern Virginia Photo Society. The public is welcome. The group meets at the Washington Gas Light facility on Industrial Rd. off the Edsal Rd. exit of Rt. 395/Shirley Highway in Northern Virginia.
Directions: Coming from D.C., take the Edsal Rd exit west, make a left at the second light and follow the winding road past warehouses and over railroad tracks. Take the first right. About a quarter mile down on the left is a very large, well lit parking lot next to a Gas Light facility on a rise. You must sign in at the guard desk.

Thursday, October 26

WABC Monthly Meeting at Long Branch Nature Center, Arlington, VA

7:30 pm. Meeting free and open to the public. Martha R. Weiss, an Assistant Professor in the Biology Department at Georgetown University, will be speaking on Silver-Spotted Skipper Larvae: Amazing Architects and Fabulous Frass-Flingers. The talk abstract follows: Larvae of the Silver-Spotted Skipper, Epargyreus clarus (Hesperiidae), build intricate leaf shelters throughout their larval lives, and eject their frass great distances. On their leguminous host plants, larvae produce shelters in four distinct styles that change predictably as the insects grow. The almost invariant size and shape of first instar shelters results from a prescribed pattern of larval movements and behaviors, in which larvae use their body length as a "ruler" and lay down a silk "blueprint" on the leaf surface prior to initiating cuts.
Larvae forcefully eject frass pellets up to 40 times their body length away and remove pellets that are placed inside the shelter. Our experimental evaluations of the ecological and evolutionary significance of frass ejection and cleaning behavior have focused on predator, parasitoid, and pathogen avoidance, as well as cost of shelter building.
Directions from Washington Beltway (495), VA exit 8/Route 50: Drive north on Route 50 about 5 miles. Turn right onto Carlin Springs Road. The nature center is about 1/3 mile on the left behind a doctor's office building; the sign and driveway are just beyond the building (just before the building for those coming from Columbia Pike). Drive behind the building and down the wooded driveway. Map 16-G-8 on ADC No. Va. map.

Saturday, October 28

Nature, The Beauty and the Beast at Merrifield Garden Center, Fairfax, VA

10 am. Free. Attracting insects and wildlife to your garden can be fun, enjoyable, and beneficial--or a nuisance. Paul Knight and Terry Hershberger, Merrifield Garden Center Plant Specialists, will present ideas for enticing birds, butterflies, and other visitors into your garden. Their presentation will then turn to garden pests and how to recognize and control these critters. Managing deer, moles, and voles will be included. Held on the second floor of the Merrifield Garden Center building in Fair Oaks. Address: 12101 Lee Highway, Fairfax, VA 22030.

Tuesday, November 7

Cocoon Quest at Brookside Nature Center in Wheaton, MD

11 am - noon. Ages 6 to 10. Free. Search high and low for this metamorphic mystery. Discover the secret hiding places of our overwintering moths and butterflies. Reservations required. Brookside Nature Center is in Wheaton Regional Park, 1400 Glenallan Avenue, Wheaton, MD.

Thursday, November 16

Backyard Habitat Presentation, Long Branch Nature Center, Arlington, VA

7 - 8 pm. Adults (children welcome, but the information is on an adult level). Free. Learn how to create habitat for local wildlife in your back yard, how to prepare your property for winter, and how to get your yard certified as an official Backyard Wildlife Habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. Long Branch is at 625 S. Carlin Springs Rd. in Arlington. Reservations required.

Thursday, November 30

WABC Monthly Meeting at Long Branch Nature Center, Arlington, VA

7:30 pm. Program free and open to the public. Member Barbara Farron will present a program entitled What Is It? with slides and information about her experiences raising the caterpilars of some of our area's less common butterflies and moths.
Directions from Washington Beltway (495), VA exit 8/Route 50: Drive north on Route 50 about 5 miles. Turn right onto Carlin Springs Road. The nature center is about 1/3 mile on the left behind a doctor's office building; the sign and driveway are just beyond the building (just before the building for those coming from Columbia Pike). Drive behind the building and down the wooded driveway. Map 16-G-8 on ADC No. Va. map.

Saturday and Sunday, December 2 - 3

31st Audubon Holiday Fair at the Audubon Naturalist Society, Chevy Chase, MD

10 am - 5 pm both days. Adults, $6; under 12, $2; under 2 free. Nature Arts and crafts from juried artisans, trees and greens, book sale, all in heated, carpeted tents. Free parking and shuttle: Lots 38, 45, & 41B on NIH Center Drive; and N. Chevy Chase Elementary School at 3700 Jones Bridge Road.

A Day in the Life of a Bug, December members' meeting at the Audubon Naturalist Society, Chevy Chase, MD