Coming Events

Many butterfly-attracting nectar and host plants can be difficult to locate. Click here for a list of upcoming plant sales, along with local nurseries likely to carry some of these plants.

Starting February 15, 2008

Butterflies and Plants: Partners in Evolution, SW Washington, D.C.

Daily 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Prices: Adults $6; Seniors $5.50; Children $4.50. Tuesdays are free.
Visitors are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance online at http://butterflies.si.edu, or by phone at 202.633.4629. Tickets are timed at 15-minute intervals from 10:15 a.m. until 5:15 p.m.
The Butterfly Pavilion is a fee-based, live butterfly experience. Take a stroll among live butterflies and exotic plants! Located adjacent to Partners in Evolution, this tropical oasis offers visitors a rare opportunity to get close to a variety of living butterflies from all over the world.
Partners in Evolution is a free-admission exploration into how insects and other animals have co-evolved with plants. Discover how natural selection has shaped animals and plants together through their ancient and persistent dependencies and defenses with one another.
Located at the National Museum of Natural History, 600 Independence Ave. SW, Washington, D.C. 20024. 202-633-1000.

Saturday, May 3 through Sunday, September 21

Wings of Fancy: World of Flight, Wheaton, MD

10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. daily. Fees: $5 adults; $4 ages 3 - 12. Brookside Gardens South Conservatory. Groups of 15 or more by appointment only, call 301-962-1467 for reservations. We regret that we are unable to accommodate strollers in the Butterfly Exhibit. To volunteer at the exhibit, call 301-962-1429. Wings of Fancy Hotline: 301-962-1453.

Sundays, May through September

Weekly Butterfly Walk, Vienna, VA

12:00 p.m. (May and June); 3:00 p.m. (July - September). Reservations not required. Members free. Non-members: adults $4, seniors and children (7-17) $1.50 per person, 6 and under free. Walk into the winged world of butterflies and tour the garden with this introductory guided stroll with hobbyist/butterfly enthusiast Mona Miller. Learn how the gardens attract these enticing, magical creatures. Participants may get to help release butterflies, when available. Meet in the visitors center. Fee helps Meadowlark Botanical Gardens in its butterfly habitat restoration projects. Rental binoculars are available at the Visitor Center. Held at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, 9750 Meadowlark Gardens Court, Vienna, VA. Weather dependent: Call (703) 255-3631, Ext. 0, to confirm walk.

Friday, May 2

Insectopia, Purcellville, VA

12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. Ages 2 - 5. $7. Discover the incredible world of insects while we release some of our buggy friends into the park's gardens. Held at Franklin Park, 17501 Franklin Park Drive, Purcellville, VA. 540-338-7603.

Saturday, May 3

Go Native in Your Landscape, Vienna, VA

9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Cost: $20. Claudia Thompson-Deahl, Environmental Resources Manager for the Reston Association will help you choose native plants for your garden. You will learn how to develop a beautiful, low-maintenance landscape that has the added benefit of providing food and shelter for animals that share our space. This program is presented by the Audubon Society of Northern Virginia in the Meadowlark Botanical Gardens Log Cabin, 9750 Meadowlark Gardens Court, Vienna, VA. To register or for more information, please call the ASNV office at (703) 256-6895.

Saturday, May 3

Wings of Fancy: World of Flight opens, Wheaton, MD

10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. daily. Fees: $5 adults; $4 ages 3 - 12. Brookside Gardens South Conservatory. Groups of 15 or more by appointment only, call 301-962-1467 for reservations. We regret that we are unable to accommodate strollers in the Butterfly Exhibit. To volunteer at the exhibit, call 301-962-1429. Wings of Fancy Hotline: 301-962-1453.

Saturday, May 3

Over in the Meadow, Prince Frederick, MD

10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Ages 3 - 5 with adult. Reservations required. Fee per child: $3. What's going on in the meadow these days? We'll search the tall grasses for beautiful flowers, interesting bugs, and bird nests. Wear some comfortable shoes and a hat. Held at Battle Creek Cypress Swamp, 2880 Grays Rd., Prince Frederick, MD. Call 410-535-5327 to register.

Sunday, May 4

Butterfly Walk, Vienna, VA

12 noon. See Ongoing above, or click here to view a flyer.

Sunday, May 4

Butterfly Hike, Owings Mills, MD

1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Free; donations welcome. This terrific program is only offered once in the spring and one more time in the fall. Don’t miss an opportunity to see a great slide show and then hike with one of the area’s leading butterfly experts. Butterfly expert and volunteer Dick Smith will present a short slide show on barrens butterflies and then lead us for about 2 miles through the globally rare serpentine barrens ecosystem at Soldiers Delight. We will search for locally-occurring and serpentine-endemic mid-spring butterflies such as the fragile Falcate Orangetip, the small and attractively bark-scalloped Eastern Pine Elfin, and the bluestem grass dependent Cobweb and Dusted Skippers. Additionally, we will examine and identify several of the native grasses and wildflowers seldom seen in abundance elsewhere around Maryland. Close-focus binoculars are recommended, but butterfly net-and-release (with in-jar identification) will be conducted by the leader. Program is cancelled if raining. Held at Soldier's Delight N.E.A., 5100 Deer Park Road, Owings Mills, MD. 410-461-5005.

Monday, May 5

Lovely Lady Bugs, Leesburg, VA

10:00 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. Ages 3 - 5. $6. Make a lady bug visor for all to see. Held at Douglass Community Center, 407 E. Market Street, Leesburg, VA. 703-771-5913.

Monday, May 5

Very Hairy Caterpillar, Purcellville, VA

11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Ages 3 - 5. $15. Make your own caterpillar with pantyhose, seeds, soil, etc. You'll be amazed. Held at Loudoun Valley Community Center, 320 W. School Street, Purcellville, VA. 540-338-4122/4123.

Wednesday, May 7

Are You a Bee? Wheaton, MD

10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Ages 3 - 5 yrs. $5. ParkPASS #50988. Perhaps you are a honeybee. Read a story and make a craft to learn about honeybees, then take a walk to look for them in the park. Held at Brookside Nature Center in Wheaton Regional Park, 1400 Glenallan Ave., Wheaton, MD. Program registration is through ParkPASS. Go online at www.parkpass.org or use automated phone registration at 301-962-1477.

Wednesday, May 7

Lives in the Balance: Human Health and Nature, Washington, D.C.

7:00 p.m. $20. The Earth’s biodiversity—the rich variety of life on our planet—is threatened by human activity and is disappearing at an alarming rate. But what is not widely appreciated is that our health and our lives depend on biodiversity for medicines, protection against the emergence and spread of infectious diseases, food production, and much more.
A world-renowned expert on biodiversity, Edward O. Wilson is a professor emeritus at Harvard University and winner of two Pulitzer Prizes. Eric Chivian is director of the Center for Health and the Global Environment at Harvard Medical School and shared the 1985 Nobel Peace Prize. His new book Sustaining Life: How Human Health Depends on Biodiversity (Oxford University Press) is available for signing after the program. Held at the National Museum of Natural History, Baird Auditorium, 10th & Constitution Avenue, NW Washington, D.C.

Thursdays, May 8 and May 15

Flutter By Butterfly, Sterling, VA

9:30 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. Ages 2 - 3. $14 + $5 supplies. Your little ones will be aflutter learning about butterflies and other bugs. Held at the Claude Moore Community Center (formerly Sterling Annex Community Center), 1115 W. Church Road, Sterling, VA. 703-430-6673.

Thursday, May 8

Dragonfly Magic, Rockville, MD

9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. Ages 3 - 6 years. $5. ParkPASS #50570. Explore the wonder of these jeweled darting dragons through a hike and a craft. Held at Meadowside Nature Center, Rock Creek Regional Park, 5100 Meadowside Lane, Rockville, MD. Go online at www.parkpass.org or use automated phone registration at 301-962-1477.

Thursdays, May 8 and May 15

Flutter By Butterfly, Sterling, VA

10:30 a.m. - 11:15 a.m. Ages 2 - 3. $14 + $5 supplies. Your little ones will be aflutter learning about butterflies and other bugs. Held at the Claude Moore Community Center (formerly Sterling Annex Community Center), 1115 W. Church Road, Sterling, VA. 703-430-6673.

Saturday, May 10

Flutter Fest, Washington, DC

9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Tickets: $125 per family (Grandparents too!), includes complimentary parking in the Museum’s parking lot. Bring the entire family and enjoy exclusive access (ticket holders only!) to the newest exhibition at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, Butterflies + Plants: Partners in Evolution. Fun activities for kids and adults with demonstrations by scientists on identifying butterflies, feeding the butterflies, and learning how to grow a butterfly garden. Face painting, story-telling, and arts and crafts activities will complement your exploration of the hundreds of live tropical butterflies and plants in the walk-through pavilion.
$100 of your ticket purchase supports the scientific and educational mission of the National Museum of Natural History and is tax-deductible according to IRS charitable donation requirements.
Tickets are available at http://www.ResidentAssociates.org/butterfly (no handling fee) or 202-633-3030 M–F ($3 handling fee). Held at the Natural History Museum, Constitution Avenue between 10th & 12th Streets, NW, Washington, DC.

Saturday, May 10

Home Landscaping that is Wildlife and Environmentally Friendly, Lothian, MD

1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Adults: $3, Seniors and Children under 18: $2. Join Ray Bosmans (Professor Emeritus, College of Agriculture and Natural Resource Institute of Applied Agriculture, University of Maryland) as he discusses how to create beautiful terrestrial and aquatic habitats around your home that attract wildlife using plants native to the Mid-Atlantic area. Also learn how to manage these habitats with environmentally friendly methods of composting, mulching and biological control of pests. Ray will bring demonstration plants. Light refreshments will be served. Held at Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary, 1361 Wrighton Road, Lothian, MD. Call 410-741-9330 to make reservations.

Sunday, May 11

Butterfly Walk, Vienna, VA

12 noon. See Ongoing above, or click here to view a flyer.

Monday, May 12

Garden Planting Day, Boyds, MD

9:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Ages 18 and up. Free. Help us plant the butterfly, hummingbird, caterpillar, pond, and rain gardens at Black Hill. Gloves and trowels provided. Take home a free plant for your own wildlife garden. Rain cancels program. No registration required. Held at the Black Hill Visitor Center, Black Hill Regional Park, 20926 Lake Ridge Drive, Boyds, MD.

Tuesday, May 13

Lady Bug On a Leaf, Leesburg, VA

11:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. Ages 18 - 24 months. $4. We start with a blank sheet of paper and let your little one do the rest. Held at Douglass Community Center, 407 E. Market Street, Leesburg, VA. 703-771-5913.

Wednesday, May 14

Meadow Planting Day, Boyds, MD

9:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Free, registration required. ParkPASS #51270. Join the Volunteers and Friends of Black Hill Nature Programs to finish planting our newest Monarch Waystation Meadow. We will plant milkweeds for monarch caterpillars and a variety of native nectar-rich plants for the adult butterflies. Bring a shovel or trowel, and a plastic milk jug full of water. All helpers will get a free butterfly plant to take home. Held at the Black Hill Visitor Center, Black Hill Regional Park, 20926 Lake Ridge Drive, Boyds, MD. Program registration is through ParkPASS. Go online at www.parkpass.org or use automated phone registration at 301-962-1477.

Thursday, May 15

Honeybees in Virginia: 400 Years of Beekeeping, Boyce, VA

10:30 a.m. $8. Virginia State Apiarist Keith Tignor will explain the current status of honeybees and the threats to, and prospects for, these crucial pollinators. Held at the State Arboretum of Virginia, 400 Blandy Farm Lane, Boyce VA 22620. Call 540-837-1758 or email fosaprograms@virginia.edu .

Friday, May 16

Earth’s Green Mantle – How it Works, Wye Mills, MD

8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Registration Fee (includes lunch): $90. Adkins Arboretum’s 2008 Spring Symposium will provide an introduction to the fundamental scientific principles that will help you understand our most pressing environmental concerns. Spend a day with some of the region’s most talented scientists and teachers, and learn about carbon footprints, pollinators and native plants, fundamentals of soils, plant genetics and water resources and more.
Keynote speakers Dr. Doug Tallamy, entomologist and chair of the University of Delaware’s Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology, and author and photographer Rick Darke will share their passion for conservation practices that protect nature and enrich our lives. Whether you are a gardener, land steward, community planner, teacher, landscape designer, homeowner, horticulturist or naturalist, this unique symposium will give you the tools to be a better steward of our natural resources. Held at Adkins Arboretum, 12610 Eveland Road, Ridgely, MD. Call 410-634-2847 to register.

Friday, May 16

Buggy for Bugs, Purcellville, VA

11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Ages 2 - 5. $12. Crazy for bugs? We'll make a place for bugs to live, and then catch one or two to put into their new home. Bring a lunch. Held at Loudoun Valley Community Center, 320 W. School Street, Purcellville, VA. 540-338-4122/4123.

Saturday, May 17

Audubon At Home and Beyond, Herndon, VA

9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. $20, covers class materials and a light lunch. Carol Hadlock’s backyard will be your classroom for this workshop, where you will learn to put the principles of Audubon at Home to work in your yard, creating a healthier environment for you, your family, and pets, while at the same time giving birds and pollinators a helping hand. Things should be popping in the garden, the birds will be singing, and outdoor activities will make this a fun, informative day. Held at 515 Alabama Drive, Herndon, VA. To register, visit http://www.audubonva.org/ and click on "Adult Education."

Saturday, May 17

Spring Dragons, Laurel, MD

10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Ages 12+. Join us on a search for early season dragonfly species. Discover how these fascinating "early risers" are able to thrive in the still chilly air. 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 17

Dragonflies and Butterflies, Sterling, VA

1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Ages 5 and up. $4; pay at door. Search for the adults and larvae of dragonflies, butterflies, and their relatives. Held at Claude Moore Park, 21544 Old Vestals Gap Road, Sterling, VA. 571-258-3700.

Saturday, May 17

Caterpillar Campfire, Arlington, VA

6:30 p.m. - 7:45 p.m. Program #632553E. $3 per person. The whole family is invited to join us at the Long Branch amphitheater for lots of old-fashioned fun. These engaging programs are filled with entertaining activities, which may include stories, special animal guests, games, songs and of course, treats like s’mores. Held at Long Branch Nature Center, 625 S. Carlin Springs Rd., Arlington, VA. Registration Office: 703-228-4747 or register online: https:\\registration.co.arlington.va.us\.

Sunday, May 18

Butterfly Walk, Vienna, VA

12 noon. See Ongoing above, or click here to view a flyer.

Sunday, May 18

A Family Adventure: The Meadow, Boyds, MD

2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. 4 years and up. $2. ParkPASS #51264. Join our Volunteer Naturalists to explore the life of a meadow. We’ll start indoors with an introduction to the birds, plants, butterflies, and insect communities we expect to see. Then we'll proceed down the hill to survey the teeming life of the early summer meadow. Insect nets, hand lenses, binoculars, and bug boxes are provided. Meet at the Visitor Center. Rain moves program indoors. Held at the Black Hill Visitor Center, Black Hill Regional Park, 20926 Lake Ridge Drive, Boyds, MD. Program registration is through ParkPASS. Go online at www.parkpass.org or use automated phone registration at 301-962-1477.

Monday, May 19

Beautiful Butterflies, Leesburg, VA

1:00 p.m. - 1:45 p.m. Ages 4 - 5. $6. Create and decorate beautiful fluttering butterflies for all to see! Held at Douglass Community Center, 407 E. Market Street, Leesburg, VA. 703-771-5913.

Tuesday, May 20

Painted Lady Bugs, Leesburg, VA

11:45 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Ages 2- 3. $6. Paint and create lady bugs. Held at Douglass Community Center, 407 E. Market Street, Leesburg, VA. 703-771-5913.

Wednesday, May 21

Insect Olympics! Boyds, MD

10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. OR 4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. 3 - 6 years. $6. ParkPASS #51884 (10 a.m.); 51885 (4 p.m.). First we’ll hike into the meadow to recruit our insect athletes. Then, let the (insect) games begin! We’ll have mealworm races, the grasshopper broad jump, and other fun events that will help you gain a new appreciation for the amazing abilities of insects. Insect trainers will receive prizes for their Olympic victories! Held at the Black Hill Visitor Center, Black Hill Regional Park, 20926 Lake Ridge Drive, Boyds, MD. Program registration is through ParkPASS. Go online at www.parkpass.org or use automated phone registration at 301-962-1477.

Thursday, May 22

Foam Bug Magnets, Leesburg, VA

11:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. Ages 3 - 5. $4. Create a bug friend for your refrigerator. Held at Douglass Community Center, 407 E. Market Street, Leesburg, VA. 703-771-5913.

Thursday, May 22

Evening in the Meadow, Boyds, MD

5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. 3 years and up. Free, registration required. ParkPASS #51864. Help plant the butterfly meadow next to the Black Hill Visitor Center. We’ll plant milkweeds for monarch caterpillars, and a variety of native nectar-rich plants for the adult butterflies. Bring gloves and a shovel or trowel, or use ours. Get a free butterfly plant and information to take home! Held at the Black Hill Visitor Center, Black Hill Regional Park, 20926 Lake Ridge Drive, Boyds, MD. Program registration is through ParkPASS. Go online at www.parkpass.org or use automated phone registration at 301-962-1477.

Friday, May 23

Lightning Bugs, Rockville, MD

9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. $5. Ages 3 - 6 years. ParkPASS #50572. Ever marveled at the lightning bugs you see at night? Join us for an exploration of lightning bugs through stories, and a craft! Naturalist: Melanie Marshall. Held at Meadowside Nature Center, Rock Creek Regional Park, 5100 Meadowside Lane, Rockville, MD. Go online at www.parkpass.org or use automated phone registration at 301-962-1477.

Saturday, May 24

Focus on Butterflies! Wheaton, MD

8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. Fee: $20; registration required. ParkPASS #51002. Don’t miss this opportunity to have the butterfly exhibit to yourself - almost! On this special morning, a limited number of photographers (10) will be welcomed (with their tripods) into the conservatory to photograph Brookside’s remarkable butterflies prior to the show opening to the public. Held in the Brookside Gardens Conservatory, 1500 Glenallan Ave., Wheaton, MD. Program registration is through ParkPASS. Go online at www.parkpass.org or use automated phone registration at 301-962-1477.

Saturday, May 24

Bug Safari, Wheaton, MD

11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Ages 3 - 12; under 8 with adult. $4. ParkPASS #51009. Grab a net and see what's flying or crawling in the meadow. Held at Brookside Nature Center in Wheaton Regional Park, 1400 Glenallan Ave., Wheaton, MD. Program registration is through ParkPASS. Go online at www.parkpass.org or use automated phone registration at 301-962-1477.

Saturday, May 24

Bug Babies, Chantilly, VA

1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Ages 3 and up. Reservations required; $3/child, $2/adult. Explore the fascinating world of bugs during the season when baby bugs are abundant. Study their life cycles and the many ways bugs have adapted to their environment. Held at the Cub Run RECenter, 4630 Stonecroft Boulevard, Chantilly, VA. Call 703-817-9407.

Saturday, May 24

Citizen Science: Firefly Study, Arlington, VA

3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Ages 15 to adult. Free. Registration required. Program #632550H. Help us determine the effects of ambient light levels and habitat change on fireflies. In 1931, a survey of firefly species and flight start times was conducted in Arlington County, and we’d like to update it. Learn to identify some common species by their flash patterns, and the simple protocol we will use to record flight start times. You should be able to commit to making observations at least 15 evenings this summer, for about 15 - 30 minutes each time. We’ll gather again at the end of summer to share our pooled data and discoveries. Held at Long Branch Nature Center, 625 S. Carlin Springs Rd., Arlington, VA. Registration Office: 703-228-4747 or register online: https:\\registration.co.arlington.va.us\.

Sunday, May 25

Butterfly Walk, Vienna, VA

12 noon. See Ongoing above, or click here to view a flyer.

Sunday, May 25

A Family Adventure: The Meadow, Boyds, MD

2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. 4 years and up. $2. ParkPASS #51265. Join our Volunteer Naturalists to explore the life of a meadow. We’ll start indoors with an introduction to the birds, plants, butterflies, and insect communities we expect to see. Then we'll proceed down the hill to survey the teeming life of the early summer meadow. Insect nets, hand lenses, binoculars, and bug boxes are provided. Meet at the Visitor Center. Rain moves program indoors. Held at the Black Hill Visitor Center, Black Hill Regional Park, 20926 Lake Ridge Drive, Boyds, MD. Program registration is through ParkPASS. Go online at www.parkpass.org or use automated phone registration at 301-962-1477.

Tuesday, May 27

Egg Caterpillar, Leesburg, VA

11:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. Ages 3 - 5. $4. Make an unusual looking caterpillar. Held at Douglass Community Center, 407 E. Market Street, Leesburg, VA. 703-771-5913.

Thursday, May 29

Planting with Purpose: Creating Beauty and Wildlife Habitat, Fairfax, VA

7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Join us for the Audubon Society of Northern Virginia’s annual membership meeting. An update will be presented on ASNV developments, and the ASNV Board of Directors will be elected. You'll also hear a presentation on selecting and using native plants in our gardens to enhance their habitat potential. Rick J. Lewandowski, Director of the Mt. Cuba Center, will present us with photos and practical information on environmentally purposeful gardening.
Mt. Cuba Center is a renowned 650-acre non-profit horticultural institution in northern Delaware dedicated to the study, conservation, and appreciation of plants native to the Appalachian Piedmont Region. (See details at www.mtcubacenter.org.) Their woodland wildflower gardens are recognized as the region’s finest. Rick will share a wealth of information on how the selection and use of native plants to add beauty to our gardens functions as an invaluable link for sustaining insect, bird, and other wildlife populations.
Held at the Providence Presbyterian Church, 9019 Little River Turnpike, Fairfax, VA. RSVP at info@aububonva.org or 703-256-6895.

Friday, May 30

The Benefits of Beneficials, Washington, DC

12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. FREE: Pre-registration Required. Code: LH053008. Understanding the cycle of predator and prey is an integral part of growing organically. Jessica Walliser of Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Garden shines some light on the methods needed to attract good bugs to the garden - and keep them there. The lecture is illustrated with images of specific beneficial insects so you'll know exactly who the good guys are and which pests they help control. Jessica also presents recent university research regarding the intricate connection between plants and beneficial insects, and explains the need for maintaining the garden's natural balance. Favorite plants for attracting beneficial insects are discussed and illustrated with slides. Held at the U.S. Botanic Garden, Conservatory Classroom, 100 Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, D.C.

Friday, May 30

Bug Huggers Campfire, Arlington, VA

8:00 p.m. - 9:15 p.m. Program #632451F. $3 fee per person. Registration required. The whole family is invited to join us at the Gulf Branch fire ring for lots of old-fashioned fun. These engaging programs are 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. Registration Office: 703-228-4747 or register online: https:\\registration.co.arlington.va.us\

Saturday, May 31

Focus on Butterflies! Wheaton, MD

8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. Fee: $20; registration required. ParkPASS #51003. Don’t miss this opportunity to have the butterfly exhibit to yourself - almost! On this special morning, a limited number of photographers (10) will be welcomed (with their tripods) into the conservatory to photograph Brookside’s remarkable butterflies prior to the show opening to the public. Held in the Brookside Gardens Conservatory, 1500 Glenallan Ave., Wheaton, MD. Program registration is through ParkPASS. Go online at www.parkpass.org or use automated phone registration at 301-962-1477.

Saturday, May 31

Butterfly Flutterby, Wheaton, MD

1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. 3 years and up. $10 children, $5 adults (fee includes show admission). ParkPASS #51018. Meet at the nature center for a story, craft, and catch-and-release insects. Then we'll walk to Brookside Gardens to tour the Wings of Fancy butterfly show. Held at Brookside Nature Center in Wheaton Regional Park, 1400 Glenallan Ave., Wheaton, MD. Program registration is through ParkPASS. Go online at www.parkpass.org or use automated phone registration at 301-962-1477.

Saturday, May 31

Power of Pollination! Laurel, MD

1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Ages 8 - 10. Discover the buzz about bees and other amazing pollinators. Learn how pollinators play a vital role in producing food for people and creatures all around us. 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 31

Beekeeping for Beginners, Alexandria, VA

1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Program: $15. Program + full English tea: $28. Local beekeepers Bob and Grace Parker share stories of their first year of beekeeping at Green Spring and show us how to raise bees in urban and suburban neighborhoods. Then take a walk outside to see the hives in action. Held at Green Spring Gardens Park, 4603 Green Spring Road, Alexandria, VA. Call 703-642-5173 to make reservations.

Tuesdays, April 1 - April 22

Backyard Wildlife Habitat Series, Wheaton, MD

6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. 4 classes. 7 - 10 yrs. $75. (Fee is per family, so register one family member only.) ParkPASS #50951. A four-week family project to create a certified National Wildlife Federation Backyard Habitat. Each session will focus on a particular requirement. Cost includes NWF certification fees and all project materials. Held at Brookside Nature Center in Wheaton Regional Park, 1400 Glenallan Ave., Wheaton, MD. Program registration is through ParkPASS. Go online at www.parkpass.org or use automated phone registration at 301-962-1477.

Thursday, April 3

Sparkling Butterfly Magnets, Leesburg, VA

11:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. $4. Ages 2 - 3. Make shimmering butterfly magnets to put on your fridge. Held at Douglass Community Center, 407 E. Market Street, Leesburg, VA. 703-771-5913.

Thursdays, April 3 - April 24

Backyard Wildlife Habitat Series, Wheaton, MD

1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. 4 classes. 7 - 10 yrs. $75. (Fee is per family, so register one family member only.) ParkPASS #50955. A four-week family project to create a certified National Wildlife Federation Backyard Habitat. Each session will focus on a particular requirement. Cost includes NWF certification fees and all project materials. Held at Brookside Nature Center in Wheaton Regional Park, 1400 Glenallan Ave., Wheaton, MD. Program registration is through ParkPASS. Go online at www.parkpass.org or use automated phone registration at 301-962-1477.

Saturdays, April 5 & April 12

Butterfly Gardening for Beginners, Annandale, VA

10:00 a.m. $20/2 sessions. Adults. Discover how easily you can attract butterflies and hummingbirds to your backyard by providing the host and nectar plants for native butterflies. Learn how to create your own backyard habitat and start host plants for monarch butterflies. Classroom and garden experience included. Held at Hidden Oaks Nature Center, 7701 Royce Street, Annandale, VA. Call 703-941-1065.

Sunday, April 6

Bug Browse, Wheaton, MD

2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. All ages; free. No reservations required. Are you missing our insect friends? Come browse our collection any time between 2 and 4, and talk with the naturalist about your favorite bugs. Held at Brookside Nature Center in Wheaton Regional Park, 1400 Glenallan Ave., Wheaton, MD.

Monday, April 7

Caterpillar and Polliwog, Wheaton, MD

11:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. 1 - 12 years. $2. ParkPASS #50963. Puppet show. A silly tadpole thinks he'll turn into a butterfly. See if he does! Held at Brookside Nature Center in Wheaton Regional Park, 1400 Glenallan Ave., Wheaton, MD. Program registration is through ParkPASS. Go online at www.parkpass.org or use automated phone registration at 301-962-1477.

Wednesday, April 9

Nature Tots: Bugs, Laurel, MD

10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Ages 3 - 4. Come explore the wonderful world of bugs through this fun and hands-on program for your preschooler. 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/.

Friday, April 11

Bugs by Blacklight, Bethesda, MD

8:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. 5 years and up. $2. ParkPASS #51704. This popular fall program returns to Locust Grove for a spring engagement. We'll search for sphinx moths, look for longhorn beetles, and wonder at weevils. All must register and all must pay. Held at Locust Grove Nature Center, Cabin John Regional Park, 7777 Democracy Blvd., Bethesda, MD. Program registration is through ParkPASS. Go online at www.parkpass.org or use automated phone registration at 301-962-1477.

Thursday, April 17

Butterfly Gardens, Arlington, VA

11:00 a.m. Enjoy a free slide presentation on marvellous butterfly gardens, indoor and out. View the formal Butterfly Gardens next to the Museum of Natural History and Botanic Gardens, and make virtual stops at several Northern Virginia parks. Held at the Langston-Brown Senior Center, 2121 N. Culpepper St., Arlington, VA 22207. For information: 703-228-5321.

Friday, April 18

Amber: Plant exudates or the sticky stuff that many plants ooze, Baltimore, MD

8:00 p.m. Lecture begins 8:15 p.m. The April meeting of the Maryland Entomological Society will feature Dr. Jorge Santiago-Blay, Research Collaborator in the Department of Paleobiology, National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C. He has held academic positions at the U.C. Berkeley, San Francisco SU, and U. of Chicago. He also served as Department Chair in Vista Community College in Berkeley, California. Dr. Santiago-Blay is now the Editor-in-Chief of Terrestrial Arthropod Reviews and one of the scientific co-editors of the series Research in the Chrysomelidae. He also served as co-editor of New Developments in the Biology of Chrysomelidae (2004). Since 2003, he has also been serving as Editor of Entomological News (American Entomological Society, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania).

Fossilized plant resin, or amber, is unique in having exquisitely preserved organisms and some features of their ecology as far back as the Lower Cretaceous (approximately 130-120 million years ago). Research on these resins and other plant exudates allows us to understand paleoenvironments and paleoclimates entombed in amber during different intervals in Earth's history, and reconstruct these amberiferous forests. During this presentation there will be a discussion on the many uses that plant resins have had throughout history, an update on the most recent finds, and numerous examples of real and fake amber.

Held in the Bioscience Bldg., Room 004, at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, MD 21250.

Please contact MES Secretary Dick Smith at Richard.Smith@jhuapl.edu if you would like to receive driving directions to this meeting.

Thursday, April 17

Gardening for Wildlife Using Native Plants, Mount Airy, MD

7:00 p.m. The speaker at this meeting of the Audubon Society of Central Maryland will be Jane Slade, owner of the Native Plant Designs landscaping business. Held at the Mount Airy Library auditorium, 705 Ridge Avenue, Mount Airy, MD 21771.

Sunday, April 20

Spring Butterflies of Unique Southern Maryland Habitats, Calvert and Anne Arundel Counties, MD

Full-day field trip. ANS members: $28; Nonmembers: $39. The sandy, acidic woodlands of coastal plain habitats in Calvert and Anne Arundel Counties of Maryland support a variety of spring butterflies which are infrequently encountered in the close-in metro area. Under the guidance of butterfly expert Dick Smith and our Senior Naturalist Stephanie Mason, participants will spend the day searching holly and pine forests, as well as sand barrens, for Henry's, Brown, and Pine Elfins; American Coppers; Holly Azures; and Falcate Orange-tips, as well as more familiar species. Areas visited will likely include Calvert Cliffs State park and Glendening Nature Preserve. Register by mailing or faxing the registration form (online at http://audubonnaturalist.org/pdf/catalog.pdf).

Sunday, April 20

Butterfly Gardening Workshop, Clinton, MD

12:00 p.m.- 2:00 p.m. Ages 18 and up. $4 resident; $5 non-resident. Activities and topics discussed include planning and starting a garden, planting, repotting techniques, and recommended gardening tools. Participants will receive a butterfly-appropriate plant for their garden. This is a hands-on workshop, so dress for the outdoors. Clearwater Nature Center is located at 11000 Thrift Road in Clinton, MD. Call 301-297-4575 (TTY 301-699-2544) for reservations.

Tuesday, April 22

Bugs to Butterflies, Rockville, MD

9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. $5. 3 - 6 years. ParkPASS #50569. Get all the buggy facts and buggy lore. Take a hike to look for insects and make an insect to take home. Naturalist: Melanie Marshall. Held at Meadowside Nature Center, Rock Creek Regional Park, 5100 Meadowside Lane, Rockville, MD. Go online at www.parkpass.org or use automated phone registration at 301-962-1477.

Tuesday, April 22

Plant a Monarch Meadow, Boyds, MD

5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. All ages. ParkPASS #51263. Do something positive for Earth Day! We’re looking for families, scouts, and other volunteers to help plant and water milkweed in a meadow for monarch butterflies in Black Hill Regional Park. Bring a shovel or trowels or borrow ours. All helpers will get a free butterfly plant to take home. When the meadow is planted, it will be certified as an official Monarch Waystation. Meet at the Black Hill Maintenance Yard. Please park in the lot on the left before gated entrance. Black Hill Regional Park is at 20926 Lake Ridge Drive, Boyds, MD.

Wednesday, April 23

Caterpillar and Polliwog, Wheaton, MD

1:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. 1 - 12 years. $2. ParkPASS #50964. Puppet show. A silly tadpole thinks he'll turn into a butterfly. See if he does! Held at Brookside Nature Center in Wheaton Regional Park, 1400 Glenallan Ave., Wheaton, MD. Program registration is through ParkPASS. Go online at www.parkpass.org or use automated phone registration at 301-962-1477.

Wednesday, April 23

Spring Bugs and Beasties, Boyds, MD

4:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Ages 5 - 20. $6. ParkPASS #51866. Get caught up in the fun and sweep the meadow for bugs and beasties coming out of the nooks, crannies, crevices, and holes in the ground. Carefully place them in magnifying jars, and behold the mighty micro-monsters! Beastie Book drawing with prizes, too! Held at the Black Hill Visitor Center, Black Hill Regional Park, 20926 Lake Ridge Drive, Boyds, MD. Program registration is through ParkPASS. Go online at www.parkpass.org or use automated phone registration at 301-962-1477.

Thursday, April 24, 2008

WABC Monthly Meeting, Arlington, VA

7:30 p.m. Free; open to the public. Bill Folsom, author of Art and Science of Butterfly Photography, will be speaking on Digital Butterfly Photography. Longtime WABC member Bill Folsom's book was published in 2000. A revised edition will be published in 2009. Come hear him give a sneak preview of this valuable update.
Talk held at Long Branch Nature Center, 625 S. Carlin Springs Rd., Arlington, VA.
Directions from I-395: Take the SEMINARY RD exit- EXIT 4. Turn onto SEMINARY RD going northwest. Turn RIGHT onto CARLIN SPRINGS RD / VA-716. Long Branch Nature Center is about 0.8 miles on the right behind a doctors' office building near a hospital. The Long Branch sign (which may be unlit on at least one side) and driveway are just before the office building. Follow the long driveway past the offices' parking garage, through the woods, to the Nature Center parking lot. Walk up the incline to the Nature Center. ADC Northern Virginia Map 16, G-8.
Directions from Washington Beltway (I-495): Drive EAST on ARLINGTON BLVD/ROUTE 50 about 5 miles. Turn right (SOUTH) onto CARLIN SPRINGS ROAD. Long Branch Nature Center is about 1/3 mile on the left behind a doctor's office building. The Long Branch sign (which may be unlit on at least one side) and driveway are just beyond the building (or just before the building for those driving NORTH from COLUMBIA PIKE). Drive past the office building and down the long wooded driveway to the Nature Center parking lot. Walk up the incline to the Nature Center. ADC Northern Virginia Map 16, G-8.

Friday, April 25

Ladybugs, Annandale, VA

9:45 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. OR 11:00 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. 2 - 3 years. $5. Reservations required. Cultures around the world applaud the ladybug as a welcomed guest in the garden. Find out why as you meet and greet your own ladybug before releasing her (or him) into the garden. Through stories, activities, and a walk, learn the secrets of the lady bird beetle. Held at Hidden Oaks Nature Center, 7701 Royce Street, Annandale, VA. Call 703-941-1065.

Saturday, April 26

Partners in Evolution: Interactions, Adaptations, and Speciation, NW Washington, D.C.

8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. $85. Includes meals. A Smithsonian botanical symposium. Plants and animals have ecologically interacted for hundreds of millions of years. These interactions have resulted in adaptations and specializations in both the plants and the animals. In some cases these adaptations have resulted from the coevolution of the two lineages. This Symposium will address the various ecological interactions, evolutionary adaptations, and co-radiations of plants and animals in habitats across the planet, and explore the processes of coevolution. In collaboration with the Smithsonian Departments of Botany and Entomology and the National Tropical Botanical Garden. Held at the National Museum of Natural History, 10th Street and Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. 20560. More information and registration at: http://persoon.si.edu/sbs/.

Tuesday, April 29

Bugs to You! Rockville, MD

4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. 7 - 12 years. $5. ParkPASS #50900. Meet some of Meadowside's resident bugs, including roaches and millipedes. Naturalist: Glenn Rice. Held at Meadowside Nature Center, Rock Creek Regional Park, 5100 Meadowside Lane, Rockville, MD. Go online at www.parkpass.org or use automated phone registration at 301-962-1477.

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