eNews: September 2019

Another Good Year for Monarchs!

A male monarch, identified by the two black dots on its inner wings, feeding on a Swamp Milkweed flower.

For the past few years, monarch butterfly populations have been on the increase in this area of New England, and I’m happy to say the trend continues again this summer. These orange and black beauties have been a common sight in our fields and gardens.

Lots of monarch caterpillars have been found on our milkweed.

And naturally, with all the monarch butterflies come lots of their caterpillars. Observant visitors to both the wildflower field on Distant Hill Nature Trail, and the milkweed meadow at Distant Hill Gardens have reported seeing dozens of them.

Stop by this Saturday or Sunday for our August Open Garden and look for some monarch caterpillars and butterflies for yourself. (A Hint: A good place to find caterpillars is in the young, tender, milkweed growing in the fire pit in the center of the Stone Circle at Distant Hill Gardens.)

You are also invited to join us for one, or both, of our two native plant identification workshops scheduled for August. First is a Fern Identification Walk with naturalist and author Lynn Levine on Sunday, August 11, followed by a Tree and Shrub Identification Walk with Steve Roberge, the Cheshire County Forester, on Sunday, August 25. Click on any Button below to learn more about an event.

And we have two great events coming up in September: Medicinal Plant Walk and Tincture Making with herbalist Brenna Morris on Sunday, September 8, 2-4:30pm. and a talk ‘Fishers: Separating fact from fiction’ with naturalist and mammal specialist for the Harris Center, Susie Spikol, on Thursday, September 19, 4:30-6pm.

Michael Nerrie

CEO (Chief Environmental Observer)

Distant Hill Gardens and Nature Trail

August Events at Distant Hill

Click on a Button below to learn more about an event…

AUGUST OPEN GARDEN WEEKEND, August 3 and 4

FERN WALK WITH LYNN LEVINE, Sunday, August 11, 1-4pm

TREE & SHRUB IDENTIFICATION WITH STEVE ROBERGE – Sunday, August 25, 1-4pm

September Events at Distant Hill

MEDICINAL PLANT WALK & TINCTURE MAKING WITH BRENNA MORRIS, Sunday, September 8, 2-4:30pm

FISHERS: SEPARATING FACT FROM FICTON WITH SUSIE SPIKOL, Thursday, September 19, 4:30-6pm

The ‘Ironing-Board Flower’ at the entrance to the Nature Play Area on Distant Hill Nature Trail.

And remember you can visit Distant Hill Nature Trail anytime. It’s open seven days a week, dawn to dusk.