Monarch Mavin: Citizen Scientists and the Butterfly

Butterflies: how do we know what we know about these amazing insects? Two hundred years before Darwin, and before modern museums, a young woman in the late 1600s was the first to document the complete lifecycle of a butterfly, called metamorphosis. Through observation and detailed paintings, she became one of the first “citizen scientists” of her era. Join us on a voyage of discovery as we travel back to that amazing time, from Amsterdam during tulip mania to Dutch Surinam with naturalist and renowned painter, Maria Sybilla Merian. On the way, learn how you too can help pollinators by becoming a citizen scientist today, as Maria did almost 400 years ago. View her actual paintings of pollinators and their host plants, which were so detailed and correct that they were used by Linneaus, the father of modern taxonomy. This talk is part of our “A Talk in the Garden” series of gardening talks.

Noted author, photographer, and public speaker on native gardens, Heather Andrews works with homeowners and businesses to create sustainable native pollinator habitats. During the growing season, you will find her in her pollinator waystation, Cat-a-pillar Haven, in Mechanicsburg. Her educational videologs are found on Facebook at Thoughtful Gardener, and on her YouTube channel, Garden Thoughtfully. Heather is also a certified Master Gardener, and Watershed Steward.

Register HERE.