Join us for the Third Annual Pollinator Powwow!  Special presentation by master beekeeper, Robert Najjar, President of the Summit County Beekeepers Association.  I will be talking about butterflies and moths and my fellow naturalist, Geoff Rapp, will talk about native wildflowers and their benefits to all of us.

Free and open to the public!

Saturday, April 12 at 1 pm

Eastwood Preserve in Richfield, Ohio

4712 W. Streetsboro Rd.

We released 370 monarchs this summer!  Thank you to all who helped raise these beautiful creatures.

This is one of the butterfly parasites--the tachnid fly.  It lays its egg inside a caterpillar and the larva slowly eats the poor caterpillar from the inside out.
Note red eyes and prickly back.

My last 7 crysalises are awaiting good weather before the butterflies eclose (emerge).  Meanwhile, this wooly bear caterpillar found a home in my garage after munching a final meal!

Busy summer! I photographed all of these in the garden:

 Hairstreak

 Red Admiral

 mourning cloak

 painted lady

male tiger swallowtail

female black swallowtail

 female tiger swallowtail

 clouded sulphur

 monarch!

 Great Spangled Fritillary

 Monarch

Spring 2018

After a long, bitter winter, I was surprised to see that my milkweed has sprouted quickly with the warmer May weather.  Excited to welcome back the monarchs!

Released my final butterfly on Saturday, Oct 21.  He was beautiful and one I found as a 4th instar on my milkweed.  He only spent one day eating and then formed his crysalis.  So glad he emerged healthy and strong!  He picked a lovely sunny day to eclose and joined several other monarchs migrating through the garden!

I tagged 16 butterflies this summer.  I hope they make it to Mexico!