Kyle Kopf, Director of Andresen Nature Center, 409 N. 4th Street, Fulton, IL, has a question for area nature lovers who appreciate the significant value of Monarch butterfly pollinators.
He asks, “Care to do some Citizen Science this summer? Even just one hour of your time volunteering each week would be fantastic!”
“Your” refers to individuals, families, youth groups, or organizations. Dates of butterfly tending range from Wednesday, June 19, through September or October, 2019.
Duties include
- collecting Monarch eggs and caterpillars
- inventorying them
- monitoring their development
- cleaning up “frass” (the excrement of insect larvae)
- eventually releasing them as butterflies.
Hours vary, with limited activity in June, but ramping up in July, and then peak activity in mid-August through mid-September. Collection of eggs and caterpillars is typically performed mid- to late-mornings. The release of butterflies is usually done in the afternoons.
Kopf added, “In 2018 we were releasing butterflies almost daily from mid-July through mid-September. In September we sometimes released over ten Monarchs per day, with a record 23 being released on September 16.
“Help us beat our 2018 season total release count of 414 butterflies!”
Contact Kopf at 815-208-7059 for additional information or to volunteer. Leave a message.