Washington Area Butterfly Club

Events Archive

2005 Butterfly Events

January 2005
February 2005
April 2005
May 2005
June 2005

July 2005
August 2005
September 2005
October 2005
November 2005
December 2005

January 2005

Friday, January 21
Where do Butterflies go in the Winter? Herndon, VA: 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. All ages; $5. Join "Butterfly Lady" and WABC member Mona Miller to learn where butterflies go in the winter. Mona will use pictures and handouts to explain the different strategies butterflies use to survive in cold weather. Held at the Herndon Community Center, 814 Ferndale Avenue, Herndon, VA (room will be posted). An Audubon at Home event. For more information, contact the Town of Herndon Naturalist Susan Lily at 703-435-6800 x2113 or e-mail susan.lily@herndon-va.gov.
Sunday, January 23
Organic Gardening: Tips, Techniques & Products, Annandale, VA: 1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. $9 fee. Pre-registration required. Presented by Mitch Baker of the American Plant Food Co. An Audubon at Home event. Held at Green Spring Gardens Park, 4603 Green Spring Road, Alexandria, VA. Call 703-642-5173 to make reservations.
Thursday, January 27
WABC Monthly Meeting, Arlington, VA: 7:30 p.m. Butterfly Houses Around the World. Dr. Wayne Wehling will present a photo tour of indoor butterfly exhibits in Canada, Costa Rica, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, and the U.S. Dr. Wehling is a Senior Entomologist with the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. The meeting will be held at Long Branch Nature Center, 625 South Carlin Springs Road, Arlington, Virginia.
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.

February 2005

Tuesday, February 1
Wildlife Landscapes, Baltimore, MD: 7:30 p.m. Everyone is welcome. The Baltimore Bird Club (BBC) meeting will feature Daryl Dutrow, owner of Wildlife Landscapes in Monkton, MD. His presentation, which will include both slides and video of bird and other wildlife action, will present the use of woodland, meadow-based landscapes, and butterfly gardens to create environment and wildlife friendly residential landscapes as an alternative to the more usual lawn-based landscape. Mr. Dutrow will also answer specific homeowner landscaping questions after as well as during the presentation. The meeting, which will be at Cylburn Mansion, begins with refreshments at 7:30 p.m., and the presentation should begin at 8:00 p.m.
Directions to Cylburn Mansion: From the Baltimore Beltway (I-695) take Exit 23A (I-83) South to the Northern Parkway West exit (turn right). Move to the left lane and take the first left turn off Northern Parkway onto Cylburn Avenue. Take a left at the first intersection, Greenspring Avenue, and the next left through the stone gate into Cylburn Arboretum.
Sunday, February 6
Nature Center Habitat Open House, Arlington, VA: 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Free; all ages. Meet Arlington’s Community Wildlife Habitat Team, and learn about our efforts to make Arlington the first county in the Nation recognized through the National Wildlife Federation’s Backyard Habitat Program as a Certified Wildlife Habitat Community. We’re almost there, but we need your help. Pick up literature, talk to the experts and explore displays on how you can certify your backyard. Help us take the last step to certification by adding your green space to the growing number of certified habitats in the County. Refreshments will be served. Held at Long Branch Nature Center, 625 S. Carlin Springs Rd., Arlington, VA. Call 703-228-4747 (voice), 703-228-4611 (TTY).
Thursday, February 10
Natives - What To Plant; Where To Find Them, Annandale, VA: 7:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Free. Enjoy a February Nature Night evening slide show with Karen "The Plant Lady" Rexrode. The program will focus on native plants, their uses, benefits, and legitimate suppliers. Karen is an award winning photographer and owner of Windy Hill Plant Farm. Held at the Packard Center, Upstairs Conference Room, 4022 Hummer Road, Annandale, VA. For more information, contact the NVAS at 703-256-6895 or e-mail fas@fairfaxaudubon.org. An Audubon at Home event.
Thursdays, February 10 - March 10
Eastern Shore Gardening, Ridgely, MD: 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Fee: $12/class or $55 for the series. This five-part gardening series will supply the fundamentals for planning, designing, planting, and maintaining your garden. You will learn how to use native plants in landscaping, practice conservation landscaping principles to reduce the use of irrigation, fertilizer, pesticides, and power tools, and create habitat that is both beautiful and beneficial to native wildlife. You can register for one session or the entire course.
February 10: Analyzing your Site; February 17: Introduction to Native Plants; February 24: Designing the Garden; March 3: Conservation Landscaping Principles; and March 10: Identifying and Controlling Invasive Plants. Please dress for the outdoors. Arboretum Conservation Curator Sylvan Kaufman will lead this class. Held at Adkins Arboretum, 12610 Eveland Road, Ridgely, MD. Phone: 410-634-2847.
Saturday and Sunday, February 12 - 13
Meadowlark's 3rd Annual Northern Virginia Nature Photo Exhibit, Vienna, VA: 10:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Suggested donation: $2. This is a juried nature photography exhibition, and the very best images from six camera clubs will be available for viewing. In addition, the following guest speakers are scheduled: Jim Clark, Lynda Richardson, Tony Sweet, Joshua Taylor, William Folsom, and others. Held at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, 9750 Meadowlark Gardens Court, Vienna, VA. Please check the event's website for directions to Meadowlark, a listing of free raffle items, and up-to-the-minute scheduling details regarding the activities at: http://www.meadowlarkphotoexhibit.com or call 703-255-3631, ext. 304.
Wednesday, February 16
Catty's and Flies, Sterling, VA: 11:00 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. Ages 2-3. $8.00. From a caterpillar to a butterfly, we'll explore the lifecycle and make a craft or two. Held at the Sterling Community Center, 120 Enterprise Street, Sterling, VA. 703-430-9480.
Saturday, February 19
Insects in Winter, Lothian, MD: 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. No entrance fee. All ages welcome. Amazingly enough, many insects can be found hiding under logs and in the leaf litter throughout the winter. Meet at the Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary, 1361 Wrighton Road, Lothian, MD, and carpool to the Parris N. Glendening Preserve. Call 410-741-9330.
Wednesday, February 23
Habitat-X 2005, Arlington, VA: 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. A suggested donation of $10 will be contributed to the UUCA Habitat garden fund. Buds. Birds. Dirt. Green. Sun. You know you need and want them. Feel them bloom into your life a few weeks early at the Habitat Extravaganza 2005 at the Unitarian Church of Arlington, 4444 Arlington Blvd. (at N. George Mason Drive), Arlington, VA. There will be help for you with a naturalist/butterfly garden designer, information about rain barrels, a pond/water source designer, Tree Stewards, compost bins, the NoVA Beekeepers Association, a nursery that specializes in native plant stock for our region and other environmentally-friendly garden experts. Meet keynote speaker David Mizejewski, National Wildlife Federation’s Backyard Habitat Program Director. Contact Habitat-X Organizer Laura at (703) 892-2565.
Posted Feb. 20.
Thursday, February 24
WABC Monthly Meeting, Arlington, VA: 7:30 p.m. Special weather notice: This meeting has been rescheduled for March 24.
Annual Butterfly Gardening lecture: "Fencing, Natives, and Butterfly Diversity at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens."
Friday, February 25
Green Matters Symposium, Wheaton, MD: 9:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. $79. Green Matters, an annual symposium, concentrates attention on environmental issues with which we are currently faced and over which we have some control. Environmental stewardship is a core value of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), Brookside Garden's parent organization. As such, we strive to provide timely information and viable solutions to environmental challenges, because we feel strongly that green does matter. The 2005 Green Matters Symposium focuses on the topic of sustainable landscapes. Held at Brookside Gardens, 1800 Glenallan Avenue, Wheaton, MD.
Lectures will cover these topics: What are Sustainable Landscapes?; Maintaining the Sustainable Landscape: Tips and Tricks for a Maintenance Schedule You Can Live With; and Can Landscape Design Reduce Pest Outbreaks?
Concurrent lectures will cover: Wildflower Meadows: Lets Get Real; Shorelines, Swales and Ponds - Landscaping with Wet Feet; and Planning your Livable Landscape. For complete information and to register, call 301-962-1477 or visit the Brookside Web site at: http://www.mc-mncppc.org/parks/brookside/greenmatters/greenmatters.shtm#registration_form
Saturday, February 26
Where Do Insects Go in Winter? Stevenson, MD: 10:30 a.m. - noon. Ages 10 and up. Fee: $8. Just like other forms of wildlife in winter, insects have a variety of survival adaptation techniques – some migrate, some go dormant, and some remain active. Join us as we go in search of winter insects from pupating butterflies to goldenrod galls and stream invertebrates. Held at Irvine Nature Center, 8400 Greenspring Avenue, Stevenson, MD. 410-484-2413.
Saturday, February 26
Butterflies and Dragonflies at Home, Merrifield, VA: 10:00 a.m. - noon. Free. Taught by Dick Smythe. Held at Merrifield Garden Center, 8132 Lee Highway, Merrifield, VA. 703-560-6222. An Audubon at Home event.
Saturday, February 26
EcoSavvy Gardening Symposium, Alexandria, VA: 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Registration: $35. Boxed Lunch: $10 (Please Specify Meat or Vegetarian Preference). Lectures will cover the following: "Ecology For Gardeners: Keeping Our Gardens Green"; "Bay Friendly Gardening: Healthy Soil Makes Healthy Plants"; "Rainwater Runoff and Erosion Solutions"; and "Native Plants for The Northeast: The Best Plants for Difficult Locations." Olsson’s Books & Records will provide a book sale table with book signings for Steven Carroll and Donald Leopold. Held at Green Spring Gardens Park, 4603 Green Spring Road, Alexandria, VA. Call 703-642-5173 to make reservations.
Sunday, February 27
Monarch Larva Monitoring Project Training Workshop, Boyds, MD: 1:00 p.m. — 5:00 p.m. Ages 13 – adult (ages 13 – 16 w/adult). Workshop Fee: $4. Workshop and Deluxe MLMP Monitoring Kit Fee: $39. Contribute to National Science Foundation funded basic research. Learn monarch biology, data survey protocol, and use of MLMP monitoring equipment for weekly monitoring of your milkweed plot. Held at the Black Hill Visitor Center, Black Hill Regional Park, 20926 Lake Ridge Drive, Boyds, MD. If interested, call 301-972-5990 or contact the trainer at fawn.foerster@mncppc-mc.org. For information about the Monarch Larva Monitoring Project, go to http://www.mlmp.org.

April 2005

Sunday, April 3
Bugs 101, Lothian, MD: 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. All ages welcome. Entrance Fees: Adults, $3; children under 18, $2; over 60, $2. Insects, spiders, and other small creatures are not all "bugs." Here’s your chance to learn about the cool critters found crawling in fields and under logs at the Sanctuary. Held at Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary, 1361 Wrighton Road, Lothian, MD. Call 410-741-9330 to make reservations.
Sunday, April 3
Organic Gardening and Composting, Arlington, VA: 2:00 p.m. Free program for adults and teens ages 12 and older. Reservations required. Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia will present the scoop on garden preparation, how to compost and growing vegetables in harmony with the environment. Held at Potomac Overlook Regional Park, 2845 N. Marcey Road, Arlington, VA. Call 703-528-5406.
Mondays, April 4 - April 25
Bugs and More! Brooklyn Park, MD: 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Ages 3-5 years (potty-trained). $38 - 4 weeks. This class is designed to teach pre-school children the basics about bugs, insects, and other creepy crawly animals. We will explore software that teaches us about these creatures as well as create projects weekly to take home! Held at the North County Recreation Center, 196 Hammonds Lane, Brooklyn Park, MD. 410-222-0036.
Thursday, April 7
What’s the Buzz? NW Washington, D.C.: 4:00 p.m. Ages 6 and up. Learn all about the busy bees that live at the Nature Center and the ones seen this time of year. Also make a neat bee craft. The Rock Creek Nature Center is located at 5200 Glover Road, NW Washington, D.C. (off Military Rd.). 202-895-6070.
Friday, April 8
The Buzz On Bees, Wheaton, MD: 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Ages 3 - 12. Fee: $4. Reservations required. Learn how bees make our world a better place! Held at Brookside Nature Center in Wheaton Regional Park, 1400 Glenallan Ave., Wheaton, MD. 301-946-9071.
Saturday, April 9
Insects After Dark, Lothian, MD: 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Adults and children ages 10 and over. Entrance Fees: Adults, $3; children under 18, $2; over 60, $2. Moths, crickets, and beetles are often most active at night. Join us to see what insects we can attract using a light and white sheet. Dress for the weather! Held at Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary, 1361 Wrighton Road, Lothian, MD. Call 410-741-9330 to make reservations.
Saturday, April 9
Eggs to Legs, Lothian, MD: 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. All ages welcome. Entrance Fees: Adults, $3; children under 18, $2; over 60, $2. Investigate animal life cycles such as insect and amphibian metamorphosis. We’ll take a hike into nature’s nursery. Meet at Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary, 1361 Wrighton Road, Lothian, MD and carpool to the Glendening Preserve. Call 410-741-9330.
Sunday, April 10
Flutterby, Butterfly, Laurel, MD: 1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Ages 5 - 7. Discover the incredible life of the butterfly through stories, crafts, and a hike in this fun program. The National Wildlife Visitor Center is located on Powder Mill Road between the Baltimore-Washington Parkway and Rt. 197, in Laurel, Maryland.
Thursday, April 14
Monarch Butterfly Migration Research at Chincoteague NWR, Columbia, MD: Hospitality session at 7:30 p.m. Club bookstore opens at 7:30 p.m. Meeting/program begins at 8:00 p.m. A Howard County Bird Club meeting. Naturalist/researcher Denise Gibbs will present an illustrated talk about her experiences monitoring the fall Monarch migration on Assateague Island, VA. She is engaged in year 9 of this 10-year study to tag migrating Monarchs and collect data on their migratory patterns and behavior for Dr. Lincoln Brower of Sweet Briar College, Virginia. Howard County Bird Club member Kate Tufts has been a research associate for the project for the last two years. Programs are held at Howard County Department of Recreation and Parks Headquarters, 7120 Oakland Mills Road, on the east side of Columbia, MD. Meeting is cancelled if schools are closed for any reason.
Saturday, April 16
Creepy Crawly Hunt, Stevenson, MD: 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Ages: 4 to 8 (accompanied by an adult). $8. Bugs are squishy. They can have lots of wiggly legs. Some can fly! Kids can learn more about these cool creatures on a short hike to search for all kinds of creepy, crawly insects. They're everywhere! Irvine Nature Center is located at 8400 Greenspring Avenue in Stevenson, MD. 410-484-2413.
Saturday, April 16
Butterflies: Nature’s Festival of Colors, Laurel, MD: 9:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Ages 10+. Discover the role that butterflies play in the ecosystem and learn to identify several common to Maryland on this guided 2.5 mile hike. Field guide recommended. Bring water and dress for the outdoors. The North Tract of Patuxent Research Refuge is located on Rt. 198 between the Baltimore-Washington Parkway and Rt. 32 in Laurel, MD. For more info, call 301-497-5887 or visit http://patuxent.fws.gov/
Saturday, April 16
Spring Garden Open House, Northern Virginia: 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Audubon at Home invites you to visit a selection of 6 gardens in Northern Virginia highlighting spring wildflowers. From formal to all natural, from townhouse size to five acres, these gardens show how homeowners have worked with nature to beautify their homes and preserve a bit of our native flora. Come and see spring beauties, cutleaf toothwort, trout lilies, Dutchman's breeches, trillium, Virginia bluebells and bloodroot, as well as early flowering trees and shrubs such as spicebush and serviceberry, all native to Northern Virginia.
This garden open house is sponsored by Audubon at Home in Northern Virginia, a program of National Audubon Society and the Audubon Society of Northern Virginia (formerly Fairfax Audubon Society) with the support of the Natural Resources Conservation Services. The objectives of Audubon at Home in Northern Virginia are to preserve and enhance existing habitat by educating and assisting homeowners, property managers and community associations to maintain their properties in an environmentally friendly manner, e.g., by practicing water conservation, removing invasive plants, landscaping with native plants, reducing or eliminating fertilizers and pesticides, and protecting water quality. To learn more about Audubon at Home in Northern Virginia, and for a detailed list of gardens on the tour, see their Web site at www.fairfaxaudubon.org or call 703-256-6895. For more on Audubon's national program, visit: www.audubon.org/bird/at_home/index.html
Added 4/7/05.
Saturday, April 16
Wildflower Farm Tours, Davidsonville, MD: 3:00 p.m. Spend an hour touring the wildflower farm with Dr. Sara Tangren and asking questions about incorporating natives into your own yard. Over 100 species of flowers, grasses, groundcovers, and shrubs in cultivation. Come see the plants that are flowering this month, and learn about the birds, butterflies, and caterpillars that depend on them! Bring: Questions, camera, binoculars (great location for birding and watching pollinators) Note: Rain dates are always the following Saturday.
Directions: located on Aisquith Farm Road in Davidsonville, MD. Once you are on Aisquith Farm Road, follow the signs for Chesapeake Native Nursery and the large red arrows about a half mile to the far side of the tobacco barn. A map and detailed directions may be obtained at www.ChesapeakeNatives.com. Call to confirm as trip may be delayed due to weather or other circumstances. (301) 580-6237.
Added 4/7/05.
Tuesday, April 19
Spring Butterfly Surveys for Adults at Hoyle's Mill Conservation Park, Boyds, MD: 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. $4. The diabase bedrock at Hoyle's Mill supports a diversity of unusual plants and their associated butterfly species. Search for common and rare species. Close-focusing binoculars provided. You may attend just once or choose to come to several dates. You will be contributing valuable data to our Natural Resources Management Plans. The target species for management at this site are Henry's elfin and giant swallowtail. Sponsored by the Black Hill Visitor Center, Black Hill Regional Park, 20926 Lake Ridge Drive, Boyds, MD. To register, log onto http://www.ParkPass.org. The ParkPass program registration number for this session is 786. For more details phone Denise Gibbs at 301 444-3142 or e-mail at denise.gibbs@mncppc-mc.org
Wednesday, April 20
Nature Tots: Flutter Friends, Laurel, MD: 10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. OR 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Ages 3-4. Introduce your preschooler to the beautiful world of the butterfly through stories, songs, and more in this interactive program. The National Wildlife Visitor Center is located on Powder Mill Road between the Baltimore-Washington Parkway and Rt. 197, in Laurel, Maryland.
Saturday, April 23
5th Annual Wildflower Celebration, Wheaton, MD: 10:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. FREE Adult tours. Held at Brookside Gardens, 1800 Glenallan Avenue, Wheaton, MD. 301-949-8230. Begin at the entrance to the boardwalk, Conservatory parking lot.
10:00 a.m. - 10:55 a.m., Native Plants for the Butterfly/Hummingbird Garden.
11:00 a.m. - 11:55 a.m., Woody Natives in the Landscape.
12:00 noon - 12:55 p.m., Herbaceous Spring Wildflowers.
A plant sale of nursery-propagated native plants is held on the South Conservatory lawn from 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Saturday, April 23
Insects Everywhere! Laurel, MD: 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. All ages. Entrance Fees: Adults, $3; children under 18, $2; over 60, $2. Insects live in the forest, the meadow, the lawn—they’re everywhere! We’ll explore different habitats to learn about insects. Held at Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary, 1361 Wrighton Road, Lothian, MD. Call 410-741-9330 to make reservations.
Sunday, April 24
Annual Spring Garden Tour, Prince William County, VA: Noon - 5:00 p.m. Free! Three gardens of Prince William Wildflower Society members will be available to tour. Details to follow.
Sunday, April 24
Gardening with Native Plants, Vienna, VA: 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. A $10 donation is highly appreciated. The Northern Virginia Conservation Trust is sponsoring a Gardening with Native Plants lecture and tour at Held at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, 9750 Meadowlark Gardens Court, Vienna, VA. Join Park Manager Keith Tomlinson for a tour of the gardens where he will talk about the many benefits of gardening with native plants, tips and techniques for helping them to thrive, advice on designing your garden, and more! With nearly 6 miles of walking trails and several areas dedicated exclusively to conserving plants of the Potomac Gorge, Meadowlark Gardens is an invaluable resource for all who are interested in native plants. Visit their website at http://www.meadowlarkgardens.org for an introduction to the park. Coffee and pastries will be provided. The tour is limited to 25 people, so please RSVP to Whitney Butler by April 15th: 703-354-5093.
Sunday, April 24
Spring Butterflies of Calvert and St. Mary's County, Calvert County, VA: Full-day field trip. ANS members: $27; Nonmembers: $38. Calvert Cliffs State Park and other sandy acidic woodlands in Calvert County and St. Mary's County, support a variety of spring butterflies, including coastal plain species we seldom encounter in the Washington area. Under the guidance of butterfly expert Dick Smith and Senior Naturalist Stephanie Mason, we'll spend the day in the field looking for Henry's, Brown, and Pine Elfins, Juniper and Red-Banded Hairstreaks, Sleepy Oranges, Holly Azures, Falcate Orange-tips, and Duskywings, as well as more familiar species. Register online at http://www.audubonnaturalist.org/eereg.htm.
Tuesday, April 26
Becoming Butterflies, Rockville, MD: 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Ages 3 – 7. Fee: $5. Learn about the changes of caterpillars into butterflies with a story and a craft. Held at Meadowside Nature Center, Rock Creek Regional Park, 5100 Meadowside Lane, Rockville, MD. 301-924-4141.
Tuesday, April 26
Spring Butterfly Surveys for Adults at Hoyle's Mill Conservation Park, Boyds, MD: 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. $4. The diabase bedrock at Hoyle's Mill supports a diversity of unusual plants and their associated butterfly species. Search for common and rare species. Close-focusing binoculars provided. You may attend just once or choose to come to several dates. You will be contributing valuable data to our Natural Resources Management Plans. The target species for management at this site are Henry's elfin and giant swallowtail. Sponsored by the Black Hill Visitor Center, Black Hill Regional Park, 20926 Lake Ridge Drive, Boyds, MD. To register, log onto http://www.ParkPass.org. The ParkPass program registration number for this session is 787. For more details phone Denise Gibbs at 301 444-3142 or e-mail at denise.gibbs@mncppc-mc.org
Added 4/7/05.
Wednesday, April 27
Storytime On The Pontoon Boat: Butterflies and Frogs!! Boyds, MD: 4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Ages 3 – 6 w/ adult. Fee: $4/person. Enjoy amazing tales of change and spring awakening. Crafts: flying butterfly and frog with moving legs! Held at the Black Hill Visitor Center, Black Hill Regional Park, 20926 Lake Ridge Drive, Boyds, MD. 301-916-0220.
Thursday, April 28
Storytime On The Pontoon Boat: Butterflies & Frogs!! Boyds, MD: 4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Ages 3 – 6 w/ adult. Fee: $4/person. Repeat of April 27 program. Enjoy amazing tales of change and spring awakening. Crafts: flying butterfly and frog with moving legs! Held at the Black Hill Visitor Center, Black Hill Regional Park, 20926 Lake Ridge Drive, Boyds, MD. 301-916-0220.
Saturday, April 30
WABC Monthly Meeting, Chevy Chase, MD: 10:00 a.m. Wildflowers of Sugar Loaf Mountain with Melanie Choukas-Bradley (author).
Directions to the Teale Learning Center, 8940 Jones Mill Road, Chevy Chase, MD (ADC Montgomery County Map 39-B-2): Exit I-495/Beltway onto 185, Connecticut Avenue South. Turn left onto Manor Road. At the traffic light, turn right onto Jones Bridge Road. At intersection of Jones Bridge and Jones Mill Roads, turn left onto Jones Mill. (Proceed with caution - traffic light gives a simultaneous green light to left turns from Jones Bridge and north-going Jones Mill traffic on your right, but visibility of vehicles on Jones Mill is partially obscured.) Drive north on Jones Mill just past road sign indicating Nature Center and turn left onto the entrance road to ANS. The Teale Center is the first building on the right. Parking is limited at Teale Center; please continue up entrance road and park near the Mansion. Walk downhill to Teale Learning Center.
Saturday, April 30 - Saturday, June 18
Color on the Wing: Paintings of Butterflies and Winged Wildlife, Wheaton, MD: 4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Kandy Vermeer Phillips’ memorable paintings of butterflies, owls, cranes, woodland scenes, and flowers return to Brookside. The Brookside Gardens Visitors Center exhibitions showcase affordable original works on horticultural themes by area artists. All art exhibitions are free-of-charge and most of the works are available for purchase. Held at Brookside Gardens, 1800 Glenallan Avenue, Wheaton, MD. 301-949-8230.

May 2005

Monday, May 2
Adult Walk at Little Bennett Park: Wings and Wildflowers, Boyds, MD: 8:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Adults. Fee: $10. Easy one-mile hike to observe wildflowers, butterflies, warblers, and other neo-tropical migrants. Closefocusing binoculars provided. Meet: Little Bennett Regional Park, Kingsley Schoolhouse Trail parking lot. Offered through the Black Hill Visitor Center, Black Hill Regional Park, 20926 Lake Ridge Drive, Boyds, MD. 301-916-0220.
Monday, May 2
Kids' Korner: Butterflies in the Meadow, Chantilly, VA: 9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. 3 - 5 years. $3.50/child. No older siblings; space is limited. Preschool children learn a little nature and history, accompanied by an adult. An outdoor activity and craft is included. Held at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park, 5040 Walney Road, Chantilly, VA. Call 703-631-0013 for information and reservations.
Tuesday, May 3
Spring Butterfly Surveys for Adults at Hoyle's Mill Conservation Park, Boyds, MD: 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. $4. The diabase bedrock at Hoyle's Mill supports a diversity of unusual plants and their associated butterfly species. Search for common and rare species. Close-focusing binoculars provided. You may attend just once or choose to come to several dates. You will be contributing valuable data to our Natural Resources Management Plans. The target species for management at this site are Henry's elfin and giant swallowtail. Sponsored by the Black Hill Visitor Center, Black Hill Regional Park, 20926 Lake Ridge Drive, Boyds, MD. To register, log onto http://www.ParkPass.org. The ParkPass program registration number for this session is 788. For more details phone Denise Gibbs at 301-444-3142 or e-mail at denise.gibbs@mncppc-mc.org
Wednesday, May 4
Kids' Korner: Butterflies in the Meadow, Chantilly, VA: 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. 3 - 5 years. $3.50/child. No older siblings; space is limited. Preschool children learn a little nature and history, accompanied by an adult. An outdoor activity and craft is included. Held at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park, 5040 Walney Road, Chantilly, VA. Call 703-631-0013 for information and reservations.
Wednesday, May 4
Bug Hike, Laurel, MD: 2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Ages 5 - 7. Free. Come explore the wonderful world of bugs through songs and more on this fun nature hike. Bring water and dress for the outdoors. The North Tract of Patuxent Research Refuge is located on Rt. 198 between the Baltimore-Washington Parkway and Rt. 32 in Laurel, MD. For more info, call 301-497-5887 or visit http://patuxent.fws.gov/.
Thursday, May 5
Kids' Korner: Butterflies in the Meadow, Chantilly, VA: 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. 3 - 5 years. $3.50/child. No older siblings; space is limited. Preschool children learn a little nature and history, accompanied by an adult. An outdoor activity and craft is included. Held at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park, 5040 Walney Road, Chantilly, VA. Call 703-631-0013 for information and reservations.
Friday, May 6
Kids' Korner: Butterflies in the Meadow, Chantilly, VA: 9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. 3 - 5 years. $3.50/child. No older siblings; space is limited. Preschool children learn a little nature and history, accompanied by an adult. An outdoor activity and craft is included. Held at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park, 5040 Walney Road, Chantilly, VA. Call 703-631-0013 for information and reservations.
Saturday, May 7
WABC Field Trip: C. Colston Burrell's Garden, Free Union, VA: 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. WABC field trip. If you plan to attend this field trip, please RSVP to Rob Simmons at 703-696-8961 (day) or 703-560-8556 (evening). If you don't have access to the WABC listserve, please ask Rob for directions. Cole will open his 10-acre garden for us between 1:00 and 4:00 p.m. His garden is 16 miles northwest of Charlottesville, about 6 miles from Free Union. From the Beltway and I-66, this is a drive of 2 to 2 1/4 hours. Cole is writing the book Butterfly Gardening with Native Plants with Jaret Daniels, a lepidopterist at Butterfly World. This is a rare opportunity to see the garden of an experienced and respected horticulturist.
C. Colston Burrell is a garden designer, award-winning author, photographer, naturalist, and teacher. A certified chlorophyll addict, Cole is an avid and lifelong gardener. He is currently designing and planting a 10-acre garden of natives and the best plants of the global garden in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Charlottesville, Virginia. He is principal of Native Landscape Design and Restoration, which specializes in blending nature and culture through artistic design. Cole's latest book, Perennials for Today's Gardens, was published by Meredith Books in March, 2000. His popular book, Perennial Combinations, Rodale Press, 1999, is a Garden Book Club's best selling title. He is also author of A Gardener's Encyclopedia of Wildflowers, which won the 1997 AHS Book Award. Cole serves as contributing editor to Horticulture magazine, which frequently features his articles. He also writes regularly for Landscape Architecture, Fine Gardening, American Gardener and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.
Cole has taught both credit and adult education classes for over 25 years. He lectures internationally on topics of design, plants and ecology. Cole worked as curator at the U.S. National Arboretum and the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. He has devoted a lifetime to studying native plants in the wild and in gardens which lead to undergraduate degrees in Botany and Horticulture. He has an M.S. in Horticulture and has coalesced his interests in botany, horticulture, ecology and design with a Master of Landscape Architecture degree from the University of Minnesota.
Saturday, May 7
Butterflies: Nature’s Festival of Colours, Laurel, MD: 9:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Ages 10+. Free. Discover the role that butterflies play in the ecosystem and learn to identify several common to Maryland on this guided 2.5 mile hike. Field guide recommended. Bring water and dress for the outdoors. The North Tract of Patuxent Research Refuge is located on Rt. 198 between the Baltimore-Washington Parkway and Rt. 32 in Laurel, MD. For more info, call 301-497-5887 or visit http://patuxent.fws.gov/.
Saturday, May 7 - Sunday, September 18
Wings of Fancy Live Butterfly Show, Wheaton, MD: 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. daily. Fees: $4.50 adults; $3.50 ages 3-12. Be surrounded by butterflies flying freely amidst a colorful garden of tropical flowering nectar plants. Learn about the butterfly life cycle. Observe exotic tropical butterflies from Costa Rica in addition to species native to North America. Held in the Brookside Gardens South Conservatory, 1800 Glenallan Avenue, Wheaton, MD. Groups of 12 or more by appointment only, call 301-962-1408 for reservations. We regret that we are not able to accommodate strollers in the Butterfly Show. To volunteer at the exhibit, call 301-962-1429.
Sunday, May 8
Potomac Valley Native Plant Collection Tour, Vienna, VA: 2:00 p.m. Free. Led by Keith Tomlinson, Manager, Meadowlark Botanical Gardens. Meet in the Visitor's Center. Held at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, 9750 Meadowlark Gardens Court, Vienna, VA.
Sunday, May 8
Nature Tots: Busy Bees, Laurel, MD: 10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Free. Ages 3-4. Give Mom the day off this Mother’s Day and take your preschooler to learn about the amazing world of the honeybee through crafts, dances, and more in this fun, interactive program. The National Wildlife Visitor Center is located on Powder Mill Rd. between the Baltimore-Washington Parkway and Route 197 in Laurel, MD. For info/reservations, call 301-497-5887 or visit http://patuxent.fws.gov/.
Monday, May 9
Kids' Korner: Butterflies in the Meadow, Chantilly, VA: 9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. 3 - 5 years. $3.50/child. No older siblings; space is limited. Preschool children learn a little nature and history, accompanied by an adult. An outdoor activity and craft is included. Held at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park, 5040 Walney Road, Chantilly, VA. Call 703-631-0013 for information and reservations.
Mondays, May 9 and May 16
Going Buggy, Sterling, VA: 9:45 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. Ages 2 - 3. $16 (+$4 for supplies). Buzz! Whirl! It sounds like spring has gone buggy. Experience a world of bugs through art, songs, and stories. Held at the Sterling Annex Community Center, 1115 W. Church Road, Sterling, VA. 703-430-6673.
Tuesday, May 10
An Introduction to Damselflies and Dragonflies, College Park, MD: 7:30 p.m. Prince George's Audubon Society monthly meeting. Have you ever wondered what damselflies or dragonflies you see while birding or hiking? Richard Orr, the leading authority on dragonflies and damselflies in the Mid-Atlantic Region, will show us how to identify these beautiful insects. Think of this program as Odonates 101, where you will learn the basics for identification. After this program you can put your newly acquired skills to use at the field lab during the last PGAS event of the season, our Annual Picnic. Held at the College Park Airport Annex, 1909 Corporal Frank Scott Drive, College Park, MD.
Tuesday, May 10
Spring Butterfly Surveys for Adults at Hoyle's Mill Conservation Park, Boyds, MD: 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. $4. The diabase bedrock at Hoyle's Mill supports a diversity of unusual plants and their associated butterfly species. Search for common and rare species. Close-focusing binoculars provided. You may attend just once or choose to come to several dates. You will be contributing valuable data to our Natural Resources Management Plans. The target species for management at this site are Henry's elfin and giant swallowtail. Sponsored by the Black Hill Visitor Center, Black Hill Regional Park, 20926 Lake Ridge Drive, Boyds, MD. To register, log onto http://www.ParkPass.org. The ParkPass program registration number for this session is 789. For more details, phone Denise Gibbs at 301-444-3142 or e-mail at denise.gibbs@mncppc-mc.org
Tuesday and Wednesday, May 10 and 11
Garden Planting Days! Boyds, MD: May 10: 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. May 11: 10:00 a.m. – noon. Ages 12 – adult. Free; no registration required. Help plant the butterfly, caterpillar, hummingbird, pond, and rain gardens. Gloves and trowels provided. Take home a plant for your own wildlife garden. Rain cancels. Held at the Black Hill Visitor Center, Black Hill Regional Park, 20926 Lake Ridge Drive, Boyds, MD. 301-916-0220.
Wednesday, May 11
Kids' Korner: Butterflies in the Meadow, Chantilly, VA: 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. 3 - 5 years. $3.50/child. No older siblings; space is limited. Preschool children learn a little nature and history, accompanied by an adult. An outdoor activity and craft is included. Held at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park, 5040 Walney Road, Chantilly, VA. Call 703-631-0013 for information and reservations.
Thursday, May 12
Storytime On The Pontoon Boat: Dragonflies, Boyds, MD: 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Ages 3 – adult; recommended for ages 3 – 6. Fee: $4/person. Search marshy edges for these fierce mosquito hunters. Craft: dragonfly finger puppet. Binoculars supplied. BYO snacks and water. Held at the Black Hill Visitor Center, Black Hill Regional Park, 20926 Lake Ridge Drive, Boyds, MD. 301-916-0220.
Thursday, May 12
Kids' Korner: Butterflies in the Meadow, Chantilly, VA: 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. 3 - 5 years. $3.50/child. No older siblings; space is limited. Preschool children learn a little nature and history, accompanied by an adult. An outdoor activity and craft is included. Held at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park, 5040 Walney Road, Chantilly, VA. Call 703-631-0013 for information and reservations.
Thursday, May 12
Four Day Weekend Of Birds, Butterflies, and Blooms, Cape May, NJ: 12:00 p.m. - 12:00 p.m. Registration is required. $200, Adults. Offered through the Arlington Department of Parks. Join two naturalists as they blitz this internationally known migratory hot spot. This is not a big bus tour! You’ll get one on one time with tour leaders as we visit sites such as Cape May Meadows, Higbee Beach, Belleplain State Forest and the Brigantine National Wildlife Refuge. You’ll be on your own for lodging, meals and transportation to and from Cape May. Call 703-243-4342 to receive a trip itinerary and information on lodging and transportation to Cape May. 703-228-4747 (voice), 703-228-4611 (TTY).
Friday, May 13
Kids' Korner: Butterflies in the Meadow, Chantilly, VA: 9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. 3 - 5 years. $3.50/child. No older siblings; space is limited. Preschool children learn a little nature and history, accompanied by an adult. An outdoor activity and craft is included. Held at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park, 5040 Walney Road, Chantilly, VA. Call 703-631-0013 for information and reservations.
Fridays, May 13 and May 20
Flutter By Butterfly, Sterling, VA: 9:45 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. Ages 2 - 3. $16.50 (+$4 for supplies). Your little ones will be aflutter learning about butterflies and other bugs. Held at the Sterling Annex Community Center, 1115 W. Church Road, Sterling, VA. 703-430-6673.
Saturday and Sunday, May 14 and 15
Native Plant Nursery Tours, Grantsville (Garrett County), MD: Open 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.; guided tours at 10:00 a.m., 12 noon, and 2:00 p.m. or take a self-guided tour at any time. Admission is free. Ron and Liz of Elk Ridge NatureWorks will be hosting several open house events at their native plant nursery in Garrett County. Tour their wildlife garden to see a variety of conservation landscaping and wildlife habitat practices that homeowners can use to enhance biodiversity in their backyards. Native plants and habitat boxes will be available for purchase.
Directions: Elk Ridge NatureWorks is at 283 Elk Ridge Lane in Grantsville, MD. From I-68, take exit 22 and follow signs for New Germany State Park. Turn left into the park onto McAndrews Hill Road and travel ~ 2 miles to stop sign at Westernport Road. Turn right and travel .25 mile to Red Hill Road. Turn right and drive ~ .5 mile to Elk Ridge Lane. Turn left onto Elk Ridge Lane (a private road). Nursery is .4 miles out this gravel lane on the right. Please note: aside from open house events, the wildlife garden and nursery are open by appointment only. Please call in advance to arrange a visit. Contact: Ron or Liz 301-895-3686 or info@elkridgenatureworks.com. Visit the website at www.elkridgenatureworks.com.
Monday, May 16
Kids' Korner: Butterflies in the Meadow, Chantilly, VA: 9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. 3 - 5 years. $3.50/child. No older siblings; space is limited. Preschool children learn a little nature and history, accompanied by an adult. An outdoor activity and craft is included. Held at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park, 5040 Walney Road, Chantilly, VA. Call 703-631-0013 for information and reservations.
Tuesday, May 17
Spring Butterfly Surveys for Adults at Hoyle's Mill Conservation Park, Boyds, MD: 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. $4. The diabase bedrock at Hoyle's Mill supports a diversity of unusual plants and their associated butterfly species. Search for common and rare species. Close-focusing binoculars provided. You may attend just once or choose to come to several dates. You will be contributing valuable data to our Natural Resources Management Plans. The target species for management at this site are Henry's elfin and giant swallowtail. Sponsored by the Black Hill Visitor Center, Black Hill Regional Park, 20926 Lake Ridge Drive, Boyds, MD. To register, log onto http://www.ParkPass.org. The ParkPass program registration number for this session is 790. For more details phone Denise Gibbs at 301 444-3142 or e-mail at denise.gibbs@mncppc-mc.org
Wednesday, May 18
Kids' Korner: Butterflies in the Meadow, Chantilly, VA: 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. 3 - 5 years. $3.50/child. No older siblings; space is limited. Preschool children learn a little nature and history, accompanied by an adult. An outdoor activity and craft is included. Held at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park, 5040 Walney Road, Chantilly, VA. Call 703-631-0013 for information and reservations.
Wednesday, May 18
Fly Like a Butterfly, Sterling, VA: 4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. $7 (+$5 for supplies). Make a butterfly pie to attract butterflies and hunt for nectar. Held at the Sterling Annex Community Center, 1115 W. Church Road, Sterling, VA. 703-430-6673.
Wednesday, May 18
Animals That Walk On Water: Silly Pond Bugs, Arlington, VA: 2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Ages 6-9. Registration is required. $2. Prepare to get wet and muddy as we explore the pond for these creatures that have an amazing array of tricks. Learn about dragonfly larvae that have extendable jaws, predatory beetles, and more. We will use nets to collect samples for up-close study. Held at Gulf Branch Nature Center, 3608 N. Military Rd., Arlington, VA. 703-228-4747 (voice), 703-228-4611 (TTY).
Thursday, May 19
Kids' Korner: Butterflies in the Meadow, Chantilly, VA: 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. 3 - 5 years. $3.50/child. No older siblings; space is limited. Preschool children learn a little nature and history, accompanied by an adult. An outdoor activity and craft is included. Held at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park, 5040 Walney Road, Chantilly, VA. Call 703-631-0013 for information and reservations.
Thursday, May 19
Storytime: Where Butterflies Grow, Rockville, MD: 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Ages 3 – 6. Fee: $4. Discover the life cycle of butterflies and other insects as we explore their world and how they help us. Held at Meadowside Nature Center, Rock Creek Regional Park, 5100 Meadowside Lane, Rockville, MD. 301-924-4141.
Friday, May 20
Incredible Insects, Wheaton, MD: 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Ages 3 - 5. Reservations required. Fee: $5. A puppet show, kooky craft, and hike to learn about insects. Held at Brookside Nature Center in Wheaton Regional Park, 1400 Glenallan Ave., Wheaton, MD. 301-946-9071.
Saturday, May 21
Wildflower Farm Tours, Davidsonville, MD: 3:00 p.m. Spend an hour touring the wildflower farm with Dr. Sara Tangren and asking questions about incorporating natives into your own yard. Over 100 species of flowers, grasses, groundcovers, and shrubs in cultivation. Come see the plants that are flowering this month, and learn about the birds, butterflies, and caterpillars that depend on them! Bring: questions, camera, binoculars (great location for birding and watching pollinators) Note: Rain dates are always the following Saturday.
Directions: located on Aisquith Farm Road in Davidsonville, MD. Once you are on Aisquith Farm Road, follow the signs for Chesapeake Native Nursery and the large red arrows about a half mile to the far side of the tobacco barn. A map and detailed directions may be obtained at www.ChesapeakeNatives.com. Call to confirm as trip may be delayed due to weather or other circumstances. (301) 580-6237.
Saturday, May 21
Incredible Insects, Laurel, MD: 1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Ages 8 - 10. Free. Uncover the mysteries of creepy crawly insects in this hands-on program and hike. The National Wildlife Visitor Center is located on Powder Mill Rd. between the Baltimore-Washington Parkway and Route 197 in Laurel, MD. For info/reservations, call 301-497-5887 or visit http://patuxent.fws.gov/.
Saturday, May 21
Buzz About Bees and Beekeeping, Arlington, VA: 2:00 p.m. Fee: $2. Adults and children age 8 and up. Reservations required. Make a beeline to the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority’s Potomac Overlook Regional Park and Nature Center to join beekeeper Paul Diehl for a program about bees and beekeeping. Take a close look at a live beehive and view beekeeping activities in action. For reservations, call 703-528-5406. Potomac Overlook Regional Park is at 2845 N. Marcey Rd. in Arlington, VA.
Monday, May 23
Kids' Korner: Butterflies in the Meadow, Chantilly, VA: 9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. 3 - 5 years. $3.50/child. No older siblings; space is limited. Preschool children learn a little nature and history, accompanied by an adult. An outdoor activity and craft is included. Held at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park, 5040 Walney Road, Chantilly, VA. Call 703-631-0013 for information and reservations.
Tuesday, May 24
Spring Butterfly Surveys for Adults at Hoyle's Mill Conservation Park, Boyds, MD: 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. $4. The diabase bedrock at Hoyle's Mill supports a diversity of unusual plants and their associated butterfly species. Search for common and rare species. Close-focusing binoculars provided. You may attend just once or choose to come to several dates. You will be contributing valuable data to our Natural Resources Management Plans. The target species for management at this site are Henry's elfin and giant swallowtail. Sponsored by the Black Hill Visitor Center, Black Hill Regional Park, 20926 Lake Ridge Drive, Boyds, MD. To register, log onto http://www.ParkPass.org. The ParkPass program registration number for this session is 791. For more details phone Denise Gibbs at 301 444-3142 or e-mail at denise.gibbs@mncppc-mc.org
Wednesday, May 25
Kids' Korner: Butterflies in the Meadow, Chantilly, VA: 9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. 3 - 5 years. $3.50/child. No older siblings; space is limited. Preschool children learn a little nature and history, accompanied by an adult. An outdoor activity and craft is included. Held at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park, 5040 Walney Road, Chantilly, VA. Call 703-631-0013 for information and reservations.
Thursday, May 26
Butterfly Flutter By, Wheaton, MD: 4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. Ages 4 - 7. Fee: $5; registration required. What is your favorite butterfly? Learn about butterflies, color a pair of butterfly wings, and use them in the garden while practicing to be a butterfly. Brookside Gardens Visitors Center Children’s Classroom, 1800 Glenallan Avenue, Wheaton, MD. 301-962-1408.
Thursday, May 26
Kids' Korner: Butterflies in the Meadow, Chantilly, VA: 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. 3 - 5 years. $3.50/child. No older siblings; space is limited. Preschool children learn a little nature and history, accompanied by an adult. An outdoor activity and craft is included. Held at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park, 5040 Walney Road, Chantilly, VA. Call 703-631-0013 for information and reservations.
Friday, May 27
Bugs to Butterflies, Rockville, MD: 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Ages 3 – 7. Fee: $5. Get the buggy facts and learn some bug lore. Take a buggy hike and make an insect to take home. Held at Meadowside Nature Center, Rock Creek Regional Park, 5100 Meadowside Lane, Rockville, MD. 301-924-4141.
Saturday, May 28
Butterflies: Nature’s Festival of Colours, Laurel, MD: 9:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Ages 10+. Free. Discover the role that butterflies play in the ecosystem and learn to identify several common to Maryland on this guided 2.5 mile hike. Field guide recommended. Bring water and dress for the outdoors. The North Tract of Patuxent Research Refuge is located on Rt. 198 between the Baltimore-Washington Parkway and Rt. 32 in Laurel, MD. For more info, call 301-497-5887 or visit http://patuxent.fws.gov/.
Saturday and Sunday, May 28 and 29
Native Plant Nursery Tours, Grantsville (Garrett County), MD: Open 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.; guided tours at 10:00 a.m., 12 noon, and 2:00 p.m. or take a self-guided tour at any time. Admission is free. Ron and Liz of Elk Ridge NatureWorks will be hosting several open house events at their native plant nursery in Garrett County. Tour their wildlife garden to see a variety of conservation landscaping and wildlife habitat practices that homeowners can use to enhance biodiversity in their backyards. Native plants and habitat boxes will be available for purchase.
Directions: Elk Ridge NatureWorks is at 283 Elk Ridge Lane in Grantsville, MD. From I-68, take exit 22 and follow signs for New Germany State Park. Turn left into the park onto McAndrews Hill Road and travel ~ 2 miles to stop sign at Westernport Road. Turn right and travel .25 mile to Red Hill Road. Turn right and drive ~ .5 mile to Elk Ridge Lane. Turn left onto Elk Ridge Lane (a private road). Nursery is .4 miles out this gravel lane on the right. Please note: Aside from open house events, the wildlife garden and nursery are open by appointment only. Please call in advance to arrange a visit. Contact: Ron or Liz 301-895-3686 or info@elkridgenatureworks.com. Visit the website at www.elkridgenatureworks.com.
Saturday, May 28
Focus on Butterflies! Wheaton, MD: 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. Fee: $20; registration required. Don’t miss this opportunity to have the butterfly show all to yourself – almost! On these special mornings, a limited number of photographers will be welcomed (with their tripods) into the conservatory to photograph Brookside’s remarkable butterflies prior to the show opening to the public. Enjoy a quiet morning in the conservatory, when the light is perfect and the butterflies are just becoming active – they’re likely to be basking or perched this early in the day. A limit of 10 photographers will be allowed into the conservatory for these unique offerings. Offered four times in the Brookside Gardens Conservatory, 1800 Glenallan Avenue, Wheaton, MD. 301-962-1408.
Tuesday, May 31
Spring Butterfly Surveys for Adults at Hoyle's Mill Conservation Park, Boyds, MD: 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. $4. The diabase bedrock at Hoyle's Mill supports a diversity of unusual plants and their associated butterfly species. Search for common and rare species. Close-focusing binoculars provided. You may attend just once or choose to come to several dates. You will be contributing valuable data to our Natural Resources Management Plans. The target species for management at this site are Henry's elfin and giant swallowtail. Sponsored by the Black Hill Visitor Center, Black Hill Regional Park, 20926 Lake Ridge Drive, Boyds, MD. To register, log onto http://www.ParkPass.org. The ParkPass program registration number for this session is 792. For more details phone Denise Gibbs at 301 444-3142 or e-mail at denise.gibbs@mncppc-mc.org

June 2005

Friday, June 3

After Dark in the Park: June Bugs and Safari, Springfield, VA

8:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. Reservations required. $4. The first of three summer evening bug talks and safari surveys of species living in the area. Take a close-up look at live specimens, from exhibits and those we catch at our lighted bag screens in the stream valley forest. As with all our evening programs, we finish up with s'mores at the amphitheater campfire. Canceled if rain. Held at Hidden Pond Nature Center, 8511 Greeley Boulevard, Springfield, VA. Call 703-451-9588.

Friday, June 3

Dragonfly Magic, Rockville, MD

9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. Ages 3 – 7. Fee: $5. Explore the wonder of these jeweled darting dragons through a hike and craft. Held at Meadowside Nature Center, Rock Creek Regional Park, 5100 Meadowside Lane, Rockville, MD. 301-924-4141.

Saturday, June 4

Incredible Insects, Leesburg, VA

9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Teens and adults. ANS members: $10; Nonmembers: $14. Approximately three-quarters of all of the animals in the world are insects! Come out to Rust and learn how these small six-legged, boneless creatures survive. We will learn about insect classification and adaptations and then search for them in the meadows and woods. We will also learn different ways to identify, collect, and observe these animals. Rust Sanctuary is located at 802 Children's Center Road, Leesburg. Register online at http://www.audubonnaturalist.org/eereg.htm.

Saturday, June 4

Bug Babies, Chantilly, VA

1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. 3 years and up with adult. Reservations required. $5. Explore the fascinating world of bugs at a time of year when baby bugs are abundant. Study them to learn about life cycles and the many ways bugs have adapted to their environment. Held at the new Cub Run RECenter, 4630 Stonecroft Boulevard, Chantilly, VA. Call 703-817-9407.

Saturday, June 4

Birds and Butterflies at Meadowood Farm on Mason Neck, Fairfax, VA

Reservations are required. Explore beautiful Meadowood Farm for birds and butterflies with experts Jim Waggener and Dick Smythe. Space is limited for this event. Please contact the Audubon Society of Northern Virginia office for more information at 703-256-6895 or fas@fairfaxaudubon.org or call Jim Waggener at (703) 256-6895.

Sunday, June 5

Watershed Friendly Garden Tour, Northern Virginia

An Audubon at Home event. For locations and directions contact Aileen Winquist, (703) 228-3610 or awinquist@arlingtonva.gov.

Sunday, June 5

Honey Harvest, Chantilly, VA

2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Reservations and advanced payment required. $1/adult. Professional beekeeper Dane Hannum will open an active beehive, and you can enjoy a taste of comb honey harvested the old-fashioned way. Find out the chores of the queen, drone, and worker bees and why honeybees are given medicine. Held at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park, 5040 Walney Road, Chantilly, VA. Call 703-631-0013.

Sunday, June 5

Garden Tour, Arlington, VA

1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Families. Visit Long Branch’s gardens during the region’s Watershed-Friendly Garden Tour. Our gardens will be labeled and open for self-guided tours. Our park and gardens have been certified as Wildlife Habitats by the National Wildlife Federation. Our landscaping includes a Native Plant Garden, a Native Fern Garden, a Butterfly/Pollinator Garden, and numerous wildlife-friendly native trees and shrubs. Pick up a garden tip sheet at the nature center and a listing of the other sites on the Tour. This program is sponsored by Arlington County, Arlingtonians for a Clean Environment, the City of Falls Church, and the Potomac Conservancy. Held at Long Branch Nature Center, 625 S. Carlin Springs Rd., Arlington, VA. 703-228-6535.

Tuesday, June 7

Spring Butterfly Surveys for Adults at Hoyle's Mill Conservation Park, Boyds, MD

10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. $4/session date. The diabase bedrock at Hoyle's Mill supports a diversity of unusual plants and their associated butterfly species. Search for common and rare species. Close-focusing binoculars provided. You may attend just once or choose to come to several dates. You will be contributing valuable data to our Natural Resources Management Plans. The target species for management at this site are Henry's elfin and giant swallowtail. Sponsored by the Black Hill Visitor Center, Black Hill Regional Park, 20926 Lake Ridge Drive, Boyds, MD. To register, log onto http://www.ParkPass.org. The ParkPass program registration number for this session is 793. For more details, phone Denise Gibbs at 301-444-3142 or e-mail denise.gibbs@mncppc-mc.org.

Tuesday, June 7

Butterflies in the Garden, Bristow, VA

7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Free; no registration required. Which plants will bring masses of beautiful butterflies to your garden? Master Gardeners will identify the requirements for attracting butterfly species in our area, including easy to grow plants that provide their food and shelter. Speaker: Rachel Fleury, PW Master Gardener. Location: Teaching Garden, St. Benedict Monastery (behind Linton Hall School), 9535 Linton Hall Rd, Bristow, VA. Offered via the Prince William County Environmental Extension Office.

Wednesday, June 8

Wild Ones: Chasing Butterflies, Arlington, VA

3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Registration is required. $3. Ages 6 - 10. Kids ages 6 - 10 are invited to join an exciting nature club at Gulf Branch Nature Center and now at Long Branch Nature Center too! Learn about the mysteries of nature and culture and participate in hands-on/ feet wet activities. Dress to get messy. Sign up for one, two or join us for them all! At this meeting we will use butterfly nets, identify local butterflies, learn about these amazing critters, and make a craft. Long Branch Nature Center is at 625 S. Carlin Springs Rd. in Arlington, VA; 703-228-6535. Gulf Branch Nature Center is at 3608 N. Military Rd. in Arlington, VA; (703) 228-3403.

Wednesday, June 8

Little Acorns: Glowing with Fireflies, Annandale, VA

10:00 - 10:45 a.m. Ages 2 - 3 years with adult. Reservations and advanced payment required. $5. Tots and their parents will discover fascinating fun facts about lightning bugs as they enjoy flitting about with activities, crafts, and songs. Held at Hidden Oaks Nature Center, 7701 Royce Street, Annandale, VA. Call 703-941-1065.

Wednesday, June 8

Nature Tots: Incredible Insects, Laurel, MD

10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. OR 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Ages 3 - 4. Free. Introduce your preschooler to the buzzy world of our friend the insect through stories, songs, and more in this fun, interactive program. The National Wildlife Visitor Center is located on Powder Mill Road between the Baltimore-Washington Parkway and Rt. 197, in Laurel, Maryland. For reservations, call 301-497-5887.

Thursday, June 9

Van Trip: Fireflies! Boyds, MD

8:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. Ages 5 – adult. Fee: $4. Make a firefly finger puppet followed by van tour to a magical place where thousands of fireflies frolic! Held at the Black Hill Visitor Center, Black Hill Regional Park, 20926 Lake Ridge Drive, Boyds, MD. 301-916-0220.

Thursday, June 9

Storytime: Bumblebee At Apple Tree Lane, Boyds, MD

9:30 a.m.– 10:30 a.m. OR 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Ages 3 – 6. Fee: $4. So what’s buzzing around my head? Explore the lives of social insects through a story, craft, and activity. Held at Meadowside Nature Center, Rock Creek Regional Park, 5100 Meadowside Lane, Rockville, MD. 301-924-4141.

Thursday, June 9

Ants at the Arboretum? Ridgely, MD

1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Fee: $12. Learn about the biology and importance of this interesting group of social insects. Led by Ted Suman, a research associate in the Ant Program at the Smithsonian's Natural History Museum and an Arboretum volunteer, an introductory talk will be followed by a field trip around the Arboretum demonstrating the abundance of ants and the rapid assessment methods being developed to determine the biodiversity of ants world-wide. Held at Adkins Arboretum, 12610 Eveland Road, P.O. Box 100, Ridgely, MD. Phone: 410-634-2847.

Friday, June 10

Nature’s Lights: Lightning Bugs! Rockville, MD

9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Ages 3 – 7. Fee: $5. They flash, they blink, they fascinate us! Explore the world of lightning bugs through stories, activities and a craft. Held at Meadowside Nature Center, Rock Creek Regional Park, 5100 Meadowside Lane, Rockville, MD. 301-924-4141.

Friday, June 10

Magical Moths Campfire, Arlington, VA

7:45 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. $3. All ages. Registration is required. The whole family is invited to join us around the Gulf Branch fire ring for lots of old-fashioned fun. This engaging program will be filled with entertaining activities, which may include stories, special animal guests, games, songs and, of course, treats like s’mores. Held at Gulf Branch Nature Center, 3608 N. Military Rd., Arlington, VA. Call (703) 228-3403 to register.

Saturday, June 11

Puddle Jumpers: Butterflies and Moths, Springfield, VA

1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Ages 3 - 5 years. Reservations required. $4. Stories, crafts, critters and more are part of this program for the preschool set. Held at Hidden Pond Nature Center, 8511 Greeley Boulevard, Springfield, VA. Call 703-451-9588.

Saturday, June 11

Wild Ones: Quit Bugging Me, Arlington, VA

3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Ages 6 - 10. Registration required. $1. Dress to get messy. Join us at this meeting as we turn over every leaf looking for insects from ants to wooly bears, and then make a special bug buddy to take home. Held at Gulf Branch Nature Center, 3608 N. Military Rd., Arlington, VA. Call (703) 228-3403 to register.

Saturday, June 11

Magical Moths Campfire, Arlington, VA

7:45 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. $3. All ages. Registration is required. The whole family is invited to join us around the Gulf Branch fire ring for lots of old-fashioned fun. This engaging program will be filled with entertaining activities, which may include stories, special animal guests, games, songs and of course, treats like s’mores. Held at Gulf Branch Nature Center, 3608 N. Military Rd., Arlington, VA. Call (703) 228-3403 to register.

Saturday, June 11

Picnic plus Dragonfly/Damselfly ID Field Trip, Laurel, MD

Meet at noon at the Patuxent Wildlife Refuge entrance for just the picnic. Meet at 1:00 p.m. at the PWRC Visitor Center parking lot off Powder Mill Rd for the dragonfly trip. This trip will start with the PG Audubon Society's Annual Members Picnic followed by a Dragonfly and Damselfly Identification Trip based on their May program. The picnic will be held at Patuxent Wildlife Research Refuge, 12100 Beech Forest Road, Laurel, MD, and the odonate trip will be around the ponds and wetlands of the refuge. If this activity is held on the Central Tract we will have limited entrance and access to the refuge and your RSVP is mandatory. Please RSVP if you are going to attend the picnic, field trip, or both to Fred Fallon at 301-249-1518.

Saturday, June 11

Firefly Fling, Leesburg, VA

7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Family program. ANS members: $6; Nonmembers: $9. As the sun goes down, fireflies put on a fascinating light show. During this special nighttime program, we'll watch the meadows and woods sparkle as fireflies come out. Discover what all that flashing means and how an insect can make its own light. Rust Sanctuary is located at 802 Children's Center Road, Leesburg, VA. Register online at http://www.audubonnaturalist.org/eereg.htm.

Saturday, June 11

Native Plants: A Welcome Sign for Wildlife, NE Washington, D.C.

10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Fee: $12. Registration required. Discover how to enhance biodiversity by creating your own rain garden, butterfly garden, or backyard habitat using native plants. Liz McDowell of Elk Ridge Nature Works will explain the importance of preserving regional biodiversity and will demonstrate low cost methods for attracting wildlife to your backyard or schoolyard. You’ll leave with a personal action plan for turning your property into a wildlife magnet. Held in the Administration Building Classroom at the National Arboretum, 3501 New York Avenue, NE, Washington, D.C. 202-245-2726.

Saturday, June 11

Butterflies: Nature’s Festival of Colours, Laurel, MD

8:30 a.m. - noon. Ages 10+. Free. Discover the role that butterflies play in the ecosystem and learn to identify several common to Maryland on this guided 2.5 mile hike. Field guide recommended. Bring water and dress for the outdoors. The North Tract of Patuxent Research Refuge is located on Rt. 198 between the Baltimore-Washington Parkway and Rt. 32 in Laurel, MD. For more info, call 301-497-5887 or visit http://patuxent.fws.gov/.

Monday, June 13

Beautiful Butterflies, Sterling, VA

9:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. OR 12:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Ages 3 - 6. $10.25. Butterflies taste with their feet and dance on mud puddles. Learn the secret of caterpillars' transformation into butterflies as we look for them in the park. Make a butterfly craft. Held at Claude Moore Park, 21544 Cascades Parkway, Sterling, VA. 703-444-1275.

Monday, June 13

Young Explorers: Dazzling Dragonflies, Alexandria, VA

3:15 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Ages 6 - 8 years. Reservations required. $3. Through indoor and outdoor activities, learn about the life cycle, behavior, and identification of Huntley Meadows' many dragonflies and damselflies. Canceled if rain. Held at Huntley Meadows, 3701 Lockheed Boulevard, Alexandria, VA. 703-768-2525.

Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, June 13, 15, and 17

Bugs a Million, Bluemont, VA

9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Ages 3 - 5. $63 + $3 supply fee. Bugs and more bugs! Enjoy learning about the small insects. Held at the Bluemont Community Center, 33846 Snickersville Pike, Bluemont, VA. 540-554-8643.

Monday, June 13

Preschool Age Program: Beautiful Butterflies, Sterling, VA

9:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. OR 12:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Ages 3 - 6. $10.25. Butterflies taste with their feet and dance on mud puddles. Learn the secrete of caterpillars' transformation into butterflies as we look for them in the park and make a butterfly craft. Held at Claude Moore Park, 21544 Cascades Parkway, Sterling, VA. 703-444-1275.

Monday and Tuesday, June 13 and 14

Preschool Programs: Flights of Fancy...Butterflies! Ridgely, MD

Classes begin at 10 a.m. Ages 3 - 5. Pre-registration and payment required. Fee: $6. Is there anything as appealing as watching a colorful display of butterflies alight on the blooms of summer? Search the meadow and the Funshine Garden for fluttering guests. Learn how to bring butterfly visitors to your own backyard and create wonderful butterfly art! Bring your "delicate" fingers and colorful imagination! For further information or to register, call 410-634-2847. Held at Adkins Arboretum, 12610 Eveland Road, P.O. Box 100, Ridgely, MD 21660.

Tuesday, June 14

Time For Tots: Butterflies, Wheaton, MD

9:30 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. OR 11:00 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. Ages 18 – 36 months. Fee: $4. Reservations required. Enjoy a butterfly story, then head outside to find and safely catch and release butterflies. Held at Brookside Nature Center in Wheaton Regional Park, 1400 Glenallan Ave., Wheaton, MD. 301-946-9071.

Tuesday, June 14

Spring Butterfly Surveys for Adults at Hoyle's Mill Conservation Park, Boyds, MD

10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. $4/session date. The diabase bedrock at Hoyle's Mill supports a diversity of unusual plants and their associated butterfly species. Search for common and rare species. Close-focusing binoculars provided. You may attend just once or choose to come to several dates. You will be contributing valuable data to our Natural Resources Management Plans. The target species for management at this site are Henry's elfin and giant swallowtail. Sponsored by the Black Hill Visitor Center, Black Hill Regional Park, 20926 Lake Ridge Drive, Boyds, MD. To register, log onto http://www.ParkPass.org. The ParkPass program registration number for this session is 794. For more details phone Denise Gibbs at 301-444-3142 or e-mail denise.gibbs@mncppc-mc.org

Wednesday, June 15

Nature Detectives: Dazzling Dragonflies, Alexandria, VA

9:30 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. OR 10:45 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Ages 3 - 5 years. Reservations required. $5. Through story, activity, and crafts learn about the life cycle, behavior, and identification of Huntley Meadows' many dragonflies and damselflies. Canceled if rain. Held at Huntley Meadows, 3701 Lockheed Boulevard, Alexandria, VA. 703-768-2525.

Wednesday, June 15

Bugs, Bugs, and More Bugs! Prince Frederick, MD

10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. OR 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Ages 3 - 5. Fee: $3.00. Do you like bugs or do you think they are yucky? We’ll take a close look at some bugs—big and small, creepy and crawly—and see where they live and what they eat. We’ll also spend some time outside doing a bug search, so come dressed for a walk! Held at Battle Creek Cypress Swamp, 2880 Grays Rd., Prince Frederick, MD. Call 410-535-5327 to register.

Thursday, June 16

Nature Detectives: Dazzling Dragonflies, Alexandria, VA

Friday, June 17

Ponderings: Ants and Termites, Springfield, VA

4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Ages 6 - 12 years. Reservations required. $4. This program reveals the world of the ant and the termite. Both creatures are sometimes despised. Some, as the ant, are made to work in garish plastic containers called ant farms when caught by humans. Marvel at the important roles these creatures play in our natural world. Take home a wonderful keepsake craft made by skilled ants/termites from our park. Catching and identifying will be done. Held at Hidden Pond Nature Center, 8511 Greeley Boulevard, Springfield, VA. Call 703-451-9588.

Saturday, June 18

Butterflies and Dragonflies at Banshee, Leesburg, VA

10:00 a.m. - noon. Free. Join the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy and the Friends of Banshee Reeks for free summer butterfly and dragonfly walks. We will investigate some of Banshee’s many diverse natural areas and identify all of the butterflies and dragonflies we can find. If you own binoculars, please bring them. Banshee Reeks Nature Reserve is located at 21085 The Woods Road, Leesburg, VA. Questions: contact Joe Coleman at 540-554-2542 or jcoleman@loudounwildlife.org.

Saturday, June 18

Bugs and Spiders, Annapolis, MD

10:00 a.m. - noon. Ages 2 - 5 w/adult. $8. Investigate insects and arachnids around the Spa Creek Conservancy (and inside the museum, too) and make some artsy critters to take home. Inspired by the picture book In The Tall, Tall Grass. Held at The Chesapeake Children's Museum, 25 Silopanna Road, Annapolis, MD. 410-990-1993.
Added June 8.

Saturday, June 18

Birds and Butterflies at Greenspring Gardens with Carol and Jay Hadlock, Alexandria, VA

Reservations are required. A garden oasis in the middle of suburbia, Green Spring Gardens Park is a prime location for birds and butterflies. Join Carl and Jay Hadlock for this special event. Space is limited. Please contact the Audubon Society of Northern Virginia office for more information at 703-256-6895 or fas@fairfaxaudubon.org.

Saturday, June 18

Butterflies of the Eastern Shore, Cambridge, MD

Full-day field trip. ANS members: $27; Nonmembers: $38. In early summer, the fields, freshwater and brackish marshes, and riverine habitats of the Eastern Shore support populations of butterflies not found or only rarely found in Maryland's piedmont and mountain provinces. On this field day with butterfly expert/WABC member Dick Smith, we'll begin our explorations near Cambridge, then work our way back toward the Bay Bridge, stopping at several points along the way. Butterflies we might see include Great Purple Hairstreak, Striped Hairstreak, Bronze Copper, and a variety of skippers, including Dion's, Delaware, Aaron's, and Broadwinged. Senior Naturalist Stephanie Mason will assist with this search for both common and uncommon species and their host plant communities. An Audubon Naturalist Society Adult Nature Program. Register online at http://www.audubonnaturalist.org/eereg.htm.

Saturday, June 18

What’s Bugging You? Prince Frederick, MD

10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Fee: $3. Ages 6 - 9. My least favorite "bug" is a tick, but I like their cousins the spiders. What critters bug you? Learn some ways to prevent yourself from being bugged and then go out and explore the places where these tiny animals might hang out. Held at Battle Creek Cypress Swamp, 2880 Grays Rd., Prince Frederick, MD. Call 410-535-5327 to register.

Saturday, June 18

Wildflower Farm Tours, Davidsonville, MD

3:00 p.m. Spend an hour touring the wildflower farm with Dr. Sara Tangren and asking questions about incorporating natives into your own yard. Over 100 species of flowers, grasses, groundcovers, and shrubs in cultivation. Come see the plants that are flowering this month, and learn about the birds, butterflies, and caterpillars that depend on them! Bring: questions, camera, binoculars (great location for birding and watching pollinators). Rain dates are always the following Saturday.
Directions: located on Aisquith Farm Road in Davidsonville, MD. Once you are on Aisquith Farm Road, follow the signs for Chesapeake Native Nursery and the large red arrows about a half mile to the far side of the tobacco barn. A map and detailed directions may be obtained at http://www.ChesapeakeNatives.com. Call to confirm as trip may be delayed due to weather or other circumstances. (301) 580-6237.

Sunday, June 19

Art and Science of Butterfly Photography, Vienna, VA

10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Advance registration is strongly advised. Fee per class: $50, cash or check on arrival. Meadowlark Botanical Gardens is one of the most photogenic sites in the Greater Washington area. In order to help you exploit that attribute to its fullest, we are pleased to offer a series of classes presented by our resident photographer and WABC member Bill Folsom and his associate, Corey Hilz. Classes meet in the Library of the Visitors Center and are usually followed by a shooting stroll in the Gardens, weather permitting. Bring your camera's manual! Held at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, 9750 Meadowlark Gardens Court, Vienna, VA. To register, call Meadowlark at 703-255-3631 x0 and request your reservation. If an insufficient number of people have registered, the class will be cancelled. If you have questions about a class, call Bill Folsom at 571-213-8696 or e-mail him at wfolsom@attglobal.net.

Sunday, June 19

Dragonflies of Riverbend Park Great Falls, VA

10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. ANS members: $22; Nonmembers: $31. Grab your binoculars and prepare to set your sights on some of those six-legged, multi-colored, aerial acrobats of wetland habitats—the dragonflies. Leading our search for both common and uncommon species will be Karen Sheffield, a veteran park naturalist with the Fairfax County Park Authority. Our leader has conducted a dragonfly survey at this Potomac River park for 5 years. Setting a leisurely pace, we'll cover about 2.5 miles as we look for species such as Eastern Pondhawk, Blue Dasher, and Slaty Skimmer. Register online at http://www.audubonnaturalist.org/eereg.htm.

Sundays, June 19 - September 25

WABC sponsored Butterfly Walks, Vienna, VA

Noon. Reservations not required. $2.00 for walk. Meadowlark admission charges: 5/adult, $2.50/child (age 7 - 17), and $2.50/senior (age 60 or older). Walk into the winged world of butterflies with this introductory guided stroll with butterfly and bird photographer William B. Folsom, hobbyist/butterfly enthusiast Mona Miller, plus members of the Washington Area Butterfly Club. Learn how the gardens attract these enticing, almost magical creatures. Rental binoculars are available at the Visitor Center. Attendees receive a copy of Butterflies of Meadowlark, an identification guide to the 20 most common butterflies found in the Garden. Weather dependent; call 703-255-3631 to confirm walk plans. Held at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, 9750 Meadowlark Gardens Court, Vienna, VA.

Friday, June 24

Dragonfly Daze Van Trip: Early Summer Dragons, Great Falls, VA

9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Adults. Reservations required. $20. The Washington, D.C. area is rich in dragonfly diversity. We'll visit some dragonfly hot spots and observe and net some early-summer species. Bring sunscreen, insect repellent, bag lunch and plenty of water, and binoculars. Canceled if rain. Held at the Riverbend Park Visitors Center, 8700 Potomac Hills Street, Great Falls, VA. Call 703-759-9018 to make reservations.

Friday and Saturday, June 24 and 25

Celebrate Nature Festival, Boyds/Rockville, MD

9:00 a.m. - dark, both days. Advance payment/registration required. Numerous programs are offered both days; of particular note are the following: Friday, June 24, 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m., at Black Hill Visitor Center
Butterfly Identification and Natural History Walk (1846)
Adults, $5.
Friday, June 24, noon - 1:30 p.m., at Meadowside Nature Center
Dragonfly Watching in the Wetlands (1455)
Adults; Fee: $5.
Saturday, June 25, 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. at Black Hill
NABA Butterfly Count
Ages 8 - Adult; $3.
Saturday, June 25, 9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m., at Meadowside Nature Center
Butterfly Stories for Kids (1459)
Ages 3 - 7; $4.
Saturday, June 25, 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Explore Hands-on Nature Discovery Boxes with Your Children
Ages 6 - Adult; Free.

The Black Hill Visitor Center is at Black Hill Regional Park, 20926 Lake Ridge Drive, Boyds, MD. 301-916-0220. Meadowside Nature Center is in Rock Creek Regional Park, 5100 Meadowside Lane, Rockville, MD. 301-924-4141. For complete details on programs and to register, visit the ParkPass Web site at http://www.ParkPASS.org.

Friday, June 24

Bugs Night Out, Severna Park, MD

8:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. Ages 8 and up. Free. Moths, beetles, crickets and other nocturnal creatures will be discussed as we walk about the park during this evening program. Bring a small flashlight and do not wear white clothing to the program. An adult must accompany children. Rain will cancel the program. Meet at the Earleigh Heights Ranger Station. B&A Trail Park Ranger Station, 51 West Earleigh Heights Road, Severna Park, MD. Program requires pre-registration. To register call the B&A Trail Park Office at (410) 222-6244.

Saturday and Sunday, June 25 and 26

Native Plant Nursery Tours, Grantsville (Garrett County), MD

Open 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.; guided tours at 10:00 a.m., 12 noon, and 2:00 p.m. or take a self-guided tour at any time. Admission is free. Ron and Liz of Elk Ridge NatureWorks will be hosting several open house events at their native plant nursery in Garrett County. Tour their wildlife garden to see a variety of conservation landscaping and wildlife habitat practices that homeowners can use to enhance biodiversity in their backyards. Native plants and habitat boxes will be available for purchase.
Directions: Elk Ridge NatureWorks is at 283 Elk Ridge Lane in Grantsville, MD. From I-68, take exit 22 and follow signs for New Germany State Park. Turn left into the park onto McAndrews Hill Road and travel ~ 2 miles to stop sign at Westernport Road. Turn right and travel .25 mile to Red Hill Road. Turn right and drive ~ .5 mile to Elk Ridge Lane. Turn left onto Elk Ridge Lane (a private road). Nursery is .4 miles out this gravel lane on the right. Please note: Aside from open house events, the wildlife garden and nursery are open by appointment only. Contact: Ron or Liz at 301-895-3686 or info@elkridgenatureworks.com.

Saturday, June 25

Butterflies: Nature’s Festival of Colours, Laurel, MD

Saturday, June 25

Bugs, Bugs, and More Bugs! Prince Frederick, MD

10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Ages 3 - 5. Fee: $3. Do you like bugs or do you think they are yucky? We’ll take a close look at some bugs—big and small, creepy and crawly—and see where they live and what they eat. We’ll also spend some time outside doing a bug search, so come dressed for a walk! Held at Battle Creek Cypress Swamp, 2880 Grays Rd., Prince Frederick, MD. Call 410-535-5327 to register.

Saturday, June 25

Gardening for Butterflies and Hummingbirds, Ashburn, VA

10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Free but registration is required. Join the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy and Karin MacDowell as she explains how your garden can be designed to welcome and attract butterflies and hummingbirds. Take a short walk around the grounds and look at the revamped native plant garden. Held at the Broadlands Stream Valley Park Nature Center, 21907 Claiborne Parkway, Ashburn, VA. For more information and to register call the Nature Center at 703-729-9704.
Posted 6/22.

Sunday, June 26

WABC sponsored Butterfly Walks, Vienna, VA

Sunday, June 26

Riverbend Dragonfly Count, Great Falls, VA

10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Ages 8 years and up. Reservations required. FREE. Help count and net dragonflies as we walk to a variety of habitats in the park. We've recorded over 30 species and there are many more to find. Bring a lunch, water, and binoculars. Bring your own net or borrow one of ours. Held at the Riverbend Visitor Center, 8814 Jeffery Road, Great Falls, VA. 703-759-9018.
Added June 8.

Tuesday, June 28

Monarch Larva Monitoring Project (MLMP) Training Workshop, Wheaton, MD

9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Ages 13 years to adult. Fee: $5; registration required. Taught by Denise Gibbs, Certified Trainer and Naturalist at Black Hill Visitor Center, and Kate Tufts, Certified Trainer. Contribute to National Science Foundation-funded basic research. Learn Monarch butterfly biology, data survey protocol, and use of MLMP monitoring equipment for weekly monitoring of your milkweed plot. Results are compiled in a national database about Monarch breeding populations. For more information about the project go to http://www.mlmp.org. Optional costs: participants may order a Deluxe MLMP Monitoring Kit directly from MLMP for $35. Please allow two weeks to receive the kit before the program. Ordering information will be included with registration confirmation. Held in the Brookside Visitors Center Adult Classroom at 1800 Glenallan Ave., Wheaton, MD. Phone: 301-962-1400.

Tuesdays, June 28 - August 30

Insect Life, College Park, MD

7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Tuition: $315. Field trips: July 9, August 6, August 27. A Natural History Field Studies Program. Learn to identify insects and discover their roles in the balance of nature. Study their life histories, the ecologies of important insect forms, the necessity of insects in biotic communities, and principal insect families of the mid-Atlantic region. Held at the University of Maryland Plant Sciences Building in College Park, MD. To register, visit the USDA Graduate School Web site at http://www.grad.usda.gov.

Wednesday, June 29

Evening Explorations: Flashing Fireflies, Chantilly, VA

8:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Free. Reservations required. As dusk approaches, the meadow's crawling, hopping, flying, and flashing insects come alive. Learn some interesting things about the firefly. Bring a plastic jar with a lid to catch and then release. Wear long pants! Held at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park, 5040 Walney Road, Chantilly, VA. Call 703-631-0013.

Wednesday, June 29

Wings Of Wonder, Wheaton, MD

2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Reservations required. Ages 2 - adult. Fee: $5. Discover butterflies through story, craft, and guided visit to the Brookside Gardens Butterfly show. Held at Brookside Nature Center in Wheaton Regional Park, 1400 Glenallan Ave., Wheaton, MD. 301-946-9071.

Wednesday, June 29

Discover Lightning Bugs! Wheaton, MD

8:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. All ages. Fee: $2, exact change. No reservations required. Learn about amazing lightning bugs, then head outdoors to enjoy the "light" display. Rain cancels program. Held at Brookside Nature Center in Wheaton Regional Park, 1400 Glenallan Ave., Wheaton, MD. 301-946-9071.

Thursday, June 30

Dazzling Dragonflies, Arlington, VA

3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Ages 7 - 11. Registration required. $3. Dragonflies dart and shimmer above ponds and marshes in summer. Come to Gulf Branch for some hands-on instruction about the colorful dragonflies that decorate our pond. After spending some time netting and studying these beautiful insects, kids will release the dragonflies and go inside to make a craft. Held at Gulf Branch Nature Center, 3608 N. Military Rd., Arlington, VA. Call 703-228-4747 and reference Program # 643122A.

Thursday, June 30

Butterflies Among Us, Stevenson, MD

6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. $8. Ages: Adult (15 and up). Learn the life ways of a butterfly! Join an Irvine naturalist and learn how to identify adult butterflies and what plants their caterpillars need to survive. The program will begin inside followed by an outdoor search in Irvine’s gardens, fields and woods. Held at Irvine Nature Center, 8400 Greenspring Avenue, Stevenson, MD. 410-484-2413.
Added June 8.

Thursday, June 30

What’s the Buzz? NW, Washington, D.C.

4:00 p.m. Ages 4 and older. Discover what honeybees are doing when they visit flowers in the park. Join a park ranger to take a closer look at honeybees, play a game, and make a neat bee craft. Held at the Rock Creek Nature Center, 5200 Glover Road, NW D.C. (off Military Rd.). 202-895-6070.
Added June 8.

Thursday, June 30 and Saturday, July 2

Advanced Butterfly Studies, Chevy Chase, MD

Thursday: 7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.; Saturday: full-day field. ANS members: $33; Nonmembers: $46. This class is designed to pay special attention to difficult butterfly species, in particular the skippers and the hairstreaks. We will also look at satyrs and other less-noticed yet beautiful day-flying lepidoptera as we examine the diversity and distribution of butterflies in our region. Our field trip to nearby natural areas, including Hoyle's Mill Conservation Park in upper Montgomery County, will offer opportunities to see some confusing and hard-to-identify species, as well as more common ones. Woodend is located at 8940 Jones Mill Road, Chevy Chase, MD. Register online at http://www.audubonnaturalist.org/eereg.htm.

July 2005

Friday, July 1
After Dark in the Park: July Bugs and Safari, Springfield, VA: 8:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Reservations required. $4. As summer progresses, the insect world becomes even more active. See some of the species that abound in our park through collecting and identifying. We will focus on fireflies and how they enlighten us all. Held at Hidden Pond Nature Center, 8511 Greeley Boulevard, Springfield, VA. Call 703-451-9588 for information.
Sunday, July 3
WABC sponsored Butterfly Walk, Vienna, VA: Noon. Every Sunday through September 25. See Ongoing above.
Wednesday, July 6
Pee Wee Explorers: Bedazzling Butterflies, Great Falls, VA: 1:15 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Ages 3 - 6 years. $5. Reservations and advanced payment required. Explore our wildflower gardens in search of these beautiful insects of summer. Through a story, activities, and craft we will learn more about these magical creatures. Held at the Riverbend Visitor Center, 8700 Potomac Hills Street, Great Falls, VA. 703-759-9018.
Thursday, July 7 and Saturday, July 9
Natural History of Beetles, Chevy Chase, MD: Thursday: 7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.; Saturday: 2:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. ANS members: $33; Nonmembers: $46. Beetles comprise the most diverse group of insects in the world, and are found in great variety and abundance as far afield as the tropics and as close to home as our backyards. Join Warren E. Steiner, Jr., entomologist with the Smithsonian Natural History Museum, for an introduction to the natural history and classification of beetles. The class combines a Thursday night lecture with Saturday's field trip to a nearby natural area, where we'll search for beetles in aquatic, field, and forest habitats, discussing their life histories, feeding strategies, and adaptations. After a dinner break, our field trip will continue after sunset so that we can observe nocturnal beetle activity. Offered through the Audubon Naturalist Society. Register online at http://www.audubonnaturalist.org/eereg.htm.
Friday, July 8
Bug Collectors, Sterling, VA: 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Ages 13 - 18. $5. Need to collect bugs for a biology project or just like bugs? We have plenty of 'em! Held at the Arcola Community Center, 24244 Gum Spring Road, Sterling, VA. Call 703-327-3111 to make reservations.
Friday, July 8
Family Fun: Fireflies, Bethesda, MD: 7:45 p.m. - 8:45 p.m. All ages. Fee: $2/person. Few joys are as memorable and as magical as the blinking sparks of fireflies that