Community Corner

Program Offers Children A View Into The Life of Monarch Butterflies

Pyramid Mountain offering its annual "Mission: Monarch Search" program.

The Pyramid Mountain historical area is holding one of its "Mission: Monarch Search" programs this coming Wednesday, August 11. The event is aimed at children and families that are interested in learning more about the life cycle and migratory nature of the monarch butterfly.

According to Joan Maccari, one of the park's naturalists, the monarch butterfly is special for its migratory patterns, which involve a 2,000 mile trip back and forth between Mexico and Canada.

"In early September, they start leaving Canada and migrate south, gaining more butterflies as they go," she said. "When they get to the Gulf of Mexico, they can cover the entire visible sky on a good year."

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Maccari said that the program, which began as an offshoot of the historic area's annual monarch butterfly festival, is timed around the patterns of the butterflies.

"The second week in September is about the time in their migration reaches northern New Jersey," she said. This is a good time for us to do this program because we know they've gotten this far north."

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According to Maccari, the event, which is open to families, provides children a way to learn about the patterns of the butterfly in an entertaining way.

 "We start out indoors and play some role-playing games with the children to learn the life-cycle of the butterfly," she said. "Then we go out in the garden and give everyone a check sheet and they look for eggs, caterpillars and chrysalides in our milkweed gardens. It gives the kids a feel what its like to do a census the way scientists do them. Its not that complicated for them."

Maccari says that, in years past, children have been able to find plenty of butterflies in the area's wildflower and milkweed gardens. However, there is some concern about the butterfly population as a result of some bad years.

"I'll be honest, this has not been our best year," she said. "We can talk with the families about some of the reasons there may not be as many as there have been in past years."

Despite concerns, Maccari is confident that the participating children will have plenty to see.

"We always get a good turn out and the kids seem to really enjoy it," she said.

The event, which will run from 2 to 3 p.m. on August 11 and is open to all ages, is the first of two such programs leading up to the monarch festival. Costs are $2 per person. Interested parties must register before the event by calling Pyramid Mountain at 973-334-3130


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