This Week at Door County’s Crossroads; Monarch Butterfly Tagging, Raspberry Ice Cream Social

Posted on 23. Aug, 2010 by in Nature

It’s monarch butterfly time at Crossroads at Big Creek.

Monarchs in all stages of development fill our flowery meadows. In the Collins Learning Center, we have been larvae-sitting and are thrilled to report that many of the caterpillars have metamorphosed into crystalides… beautiful  jade green studded with gold. We know that the gold comes from a chemical in the milkweed plant, but just why a monarch chrysalis has golden spots remains a beautiful mystery.

When our caterpillars do become butterflies, they don’t really become adults, exactly. The monarchs which develop this time of year do not mate and lay eggs in Door County like their parent and grandparent butterflies did. Instead, they fly to Mexico and spend the winter in evergreen trees. Next spring, surviving late-summer butterflies probably will mate in the Gulf Coast states and their offspring will start appearing on the peninsula around Memorial Day.

We know this because of tagging programs. Throughout the breeding range of the monarch, volunteers tag the butterflies with little stickers. And, again this year, Crossroads will host a Monarch Tagging Program sponsored by the Northeastern Wisconsin Audubon Society on  .Sunday, August 29, from 1:30-3:30 pm

Ann Shebesta, “the Butterfly Lady of Mischicot” will begin with a program in the lecture hall of the Collins Learning Center, describing the remarkable life cycle and migration behavior of the monarch butterfly. After the orientation and tagging demonstration, participants will walk to the prairie to find the monarchs.

The tagging program is offered in cooperation with Monarch Watch at the University of Kansas. In the last 6 years, participants in the NEW Audubon activity have netted, tagged and released more 700 migrating monarch. Seven of these tagged monarchs were recovered in Mexico. Each of them had flown  more than 1,800 miles to reach their mountaintop sanctuary. If a Crossroads  monarch is recovered, the person who tagged it will recieve a certificate telling  how far that butterfly traveled.

This year’s monarch population was at an all-time low because flooding, hailstorms and landslides killed more than half of the overwintering population. However, monarchs seem to be doing well in their breeding range and we are proud that Crossroads is a ”re-fueling” place for migrating butterflies. This program is free and open to all ages.

At the same time as the butterfly program, the Door County Historical Society will be holding a Raspberry Ice Cream Social in the Historical Village at The Crossroads.  We suggest that visitors take advantage of both events! Netting butterflies can really build up an appetite for ice cream sundaes. Come to think of it, Sundays can build up an appetite for sundaes.

Crossroads at Big Creek is a donor supported learning preserve welcoming learners of all ages. The Collins Learning Center and Historical Village (located at 2041 Michigan in Sturgeon Bay)    are open Monday-Thursday from 1:30-3:30. Rain barrels are available for purchase whenever the building is open. Trails are open to the public; pets are permitted if on a leash and under control.

Wednesday, August 25, 11:00
Family Program:Day at School
Learn about a typical school day in a one room school.  Children will participate in a number of activities. Meet at the Vignes School in the Historical Village at The Crossroads.

6:30 PM
Lecture: “Local Barns”
The Door County Barn Project continues as Dr. William Laatsch, barn historian and former UWGB Interim Provost & Vice Chancellor , presents a fascinating program on “Local Barns.” Then Mary Gaye Rank, textile instructor at NWTC, will share information about quilt blocks and color selection and describe the quilt block project. Collins Learning Center.

Thursday, August 26, 11:00
Family Programs: The Rocky Planets
Learn about Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars in this hands-on on activity. Make an edible planet. (Please call ahead (746-5895) if your child has food restrictions) Meet in the Collins Learning Center.

7pm
The DCIST Exotic Mapping Challenge
The Door County Invasive Species Team invites the community to a presentation in which Paul Mahlberg speaks on the presence of Eurasian Water Milfoil on Kangaroo Lake. Then participants will learn the DCIST mapping protocol and logistics of GPS technology in a short program by Geocasher Ray Osinski. For more information, contact Marne Kaeske ;”>marne@ridgessanctuary.org

Friday, August 27, 7:00
Lecture : “Immune Health, Microbial Balance, Infectious Agents and Anitbiotics”
The program on functional medicine begins with a social and refreshments at 6 pm. Dr. Tel Oren will speak and answer questions at 7 pm. A suggested donation of $25. Lecture hall of the Collin Learning Center.

Sunday, August 29, 1:30-3:30
Raspberry Ice Cream Social and Tours in the Historical Village at the Crossroads.
Enjoy a raspberry (or chocolate) sundae as you visit the historical building in the The Village. Funds raised help the society with village maintenance. Tours are free.

1:30
Monarch Butterfly Tagging
The NEW Audubon invites learners of all ages to a program on monarch butterflies in the Collins Learning Center. Following tagging demonstrations, participants will net, tag and release migrating monarch. Meet at the Collins Learning Center.  The program will be cancelled if it is raining.

Monday, August 30, 11:00
Family Program: Meet the Wolf
Are wolves really big and bad? Big maybe. Join the naturalist for a videao and activities celebrating wolves.  Free. Collins Learning Center.

Tuesday, August 31, 11:00
Family Program: Explore the Prairie
The praire planting at the Crossroads is a special habitat. Enjoy the tall grasses, flowers and the insects who spend the summer in the fields. Free. Meet at the Collins Learning Center.

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