Monarch Butterfly Conservation Day

[Mona Miller]

Monarch Butterfly Conservation Day
Saturday, September 4, 10am - 3pm
Black Hills Regional Park, Boyds, Maryland
http://www.montgomeryparks.org/nature_c ... tions.shtm
Directions

Join us to celebrate monarch butterflies and to explore their amazing annual migration to and from Mexico! All programs are free and first-come, first-served.

AT THE MONARCH WAYSTATION MEADOW
Tour of a Monarch Waystation Meadow 11 am – Noon. Ages 10 – adult
The Monarch Watch program helps monarchs by encouraging people to plant nectar and host plants. Visit our waystation meadow, created by Montgomery County Master Gardeners, and learn how to create a Monarch Waystation at your home, school, church or local park. All participants take home a free monarch nectar/host plant. Meet at Monarch Waystation gravel parking lot off of Clarksburg Road (route 121). Look for the large monarch butterfly or call us before Sept. 4 for directions.

IN THE VISITOR CENTER AUDITORIUM
10:30, 12:30, 2:30.

Monarch Movie: “The Monarch King” All ages
Learn about year in the life of a monarch butterfly in this film for kids from the Monarch Watch educational outreach program.

Monarch Videos: “Monarchs Survived Winter in Mexico” 10am & Noon. Ages 8 and up
Short videos of the 2009-10 winter season in the Mexican mountains.

ON THE BACK DECK OF THE VISITOR CENTER
Monarch Crafts
On-going 10am – 3pm. Ages 4 and up with an adult
Join volunteers for a make-and-take craft session. Make a caterpillar, monarch stamp art, and other fun creations.

ON THE SIDEWALK BY THE VISITOR CENTER ENTRANCE
Monarch Garden Plants Raffle Tickets for Sale On-going 10am – 3pm. All ages
Our Friends of Black Hill Nature Programs gardener volunteers will be raffling off a complete garden of native perennial plants for monarchs and other butterflies (a value of $300) for just $5 a ticket. All proceeds will be donated to The Monarch Butterfly Fund for their project of planting oyamel fir trees in the Mexican Monarch Sanctuaries; see monarchbutterflyfund.org and click on reforestation projects. Please bring $5 to support this worthwhile cause. You just might win!!

IN THE VISITOR CENTER LOBBY
Monarch Life Cycle Exhibit On-going 10 am – 3 pm. All ages
Explore a self-guiding exhibit featuring monarch eggs, caterpillars, chrysalides and adult butterflies.

Monarch Migration Stations On-going 10am – 3pm. All ages
How do delicate monarch butterflies make it to Mexico and back? Play our “Monarch Migration” game and discover for yourself what obstacles these amazing insects face on their epic journey. In/around Visitor Center.

Friends of Black Hill Nature Programs: Display Table and Sale
On-going 10 am – 3 pm. All ages.
Stop by and find out the benefits of becoming a member. Buy monarch munchies and souvenirs. In addition to the FOBH, there will be other vendors selling butterfly related items, photographs, t-shirts and other original art.

Monarch Resources Room for Teachers On-going 10 am – 2 pm. Adults.
Browse our books, posters, videos, catalog, games, crafts and other resources that are available for teaching a butterfly unit or curriculum. Also, the Friends of Black Hill Nature Programs will be there with their hands-on discovery nature boxes on butterflies which teachers may use with their classes when visiting the park.

ON THE VISITOR CENTER LAWN
Monarch Storytime for Families Ongoing 10am – 3pm. Ages 3-7
Enjoy reading one of our many monarch storybooks to your children or ask a volunteer to read it for them. In the shade of the birdfeeder area

Monarch Migration Tagging and Release On-going 11am – 3 pm. All ages
Volunteer Mona Miller will tag and release migrating monarchs every 10 minutes. Hear about the monarchs’ journey. In the tent.

Monarch Photo Opportunity On-going 10 am – 3 pm. All ages
Bring your own camera and take photos of your kids as they peer out from behind a people-sized monarch butterfly and caterpillar.

Monarch Music 1:30-2:00pm (All ages)
Join volunteer musicians in a show and sing-along of monarch butterfly songs. Bring your own folding chair or blanket. Meet in front of the canopy in the lawn.

Vendors of Nature On-going 10am – 3pm.
Bring some spending money to purchase a butterfly t-shirt, photograph, original artwork or items for your butterfly and bird gardens.