Could a butterfly fly from Grants Pass to Hyatt Lake and find (enough) nectar-rich flowering plants all along the way? Could that same butterfly locate enough of the native plants her babies (aka caterpillars) need to eat? The caterpillars of most butterflies (and moths) are ‘host specific’, meaning they can eat only a specific one or two or few species of native plants – just like the monarch and the milkweed! Southern Oregon is home to almost 125 species of butterflies! Learn about some of the beautiful butterflies, and the native plants they need, that make their homes in the Monument and the Valley – and what each of us can do to help them fly further.
Three presenters from Pollinator Project Rogue Valley will share their knowledge of butterflies and plants:
David Lee Myers has chased, studied, and photographed butterflies since 1986, authoring Wings in the Light: Wild Butterflies in North America, Yale University Press. He has presented on citizen science to the American Association for the Advancement of Science. His current focus is on the food plants for butterfly caterpillars. Learn more at www.davidleemyersphoto.com.
Arti Kirch has been following a passion for the natural world her entire life, beginning with a childhood spent in the glorious Upper Peninsula of Michigan. She has operated a nonprofit nursery specializing in native and Mediterranean-climate plants, was a docent at state and regional parks, and studied horticulture at several local colleges. Arti is a steadfast member of the Native Plant Society of Oregon and the California Native Plant Society.
Kristina Lefever is passionate about growing, sharing, and planting the native annuals, perennials, shrubs, and trees that create the habitats that best support our region’s native pollinators, and thus, all the creatures that depend upon them. Since 2017, she has been connecting people and pollinators through presentations, gardens, and projects that inspire, educate, and engage the community.
The Friends of Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument’s mission is to support the protection, restoration and conservation of the Monument through service, advocacy and education. Our Hike and Learn programs are designed to introduce the public to different topics and locations within the Monument. Hike and Learns are co-created with local scientists, historians, artists, students, and more.
We will meet at 9:00 AM at the Rite Aid in Ashland and make our way into the Monument from there. Carpooling is optional.
