ATHENS, Vt. – The Athens Historic Preservation Society, along with Bull Creek Common Lands, is cosponsoring Mighty Monarch Butterflies on Tuesday, July 8, at 7 p.m., in the 1817 Brick Meetinghouse in Athens, Vt.
In February 2024, dear longtime friends Emily Wrubel and Judy Fink took the trip of a lifetime to the Mariposa Monarch Biosphere Reserve in Angangueo, Mexico, where our eastern monarch butterflies journey to spend the winter. Previously, Judy, a Dummerston resident and monarch butterfly enthusiast, planted swamp milkweed in her kitchen garden, which that summer attracted scores of monarchs. They deposited their tiny eggs on the plants’ leaves and flowers. The emerging caterpillars devoured all but the branches, formed jewel-like chrysalides on chairs, eaves, and hoses, and then metamorphosized into splendid adult butterflies. Those very butterflies – the super migrators – embarked on an epic southward journey to Mexico. The following two summers, in partnership with the Dummerston Conservation Commission, Judy invited community members to participate in a local monarch project. For two summers, an enthusiastic group planted swamp milkweed in their gardens and monitored the health of the monarch population. In the meantime, Emily, who lives in Hillsboro, N.H., planted her own pollinator garden, and included swamp milkweed plants that Judy had given her. She also participated in a butterfly banding project at the Harris Center in Hancock, N.H. When the opportunity came to travel to Angangueo, how could they refuse?
Come join us to learn about the monarch’s journey, as Wrubel and Fink recount adventures here at home, and as they traveled 3,000 miles and 11,000 feet in elevation to stand among the millions of wintering monarchs in Mexico. They will share photos, videos, stories, give you a glimpse of what they’ve learned about the amazing monarch life cycle, update you on recent developments, and let you know how you can get involved in conserving this fragile species.
Bull Creek Common Lands is a nonprofit land trust based in Athens, with a mission to conserve land in and adjacent to the Bull Creek and Grassy Brook watersheds. The all-volunteer organization is currently working to conserve 340 acres of forests and wetlands in the headwaters of the Bull Creek. More information can be found at www.bullcreekcommonlands.org.
The Athens Brick Meetinghouse is a national historic landmark, located at 2 Meetinghouse Road, just off Route 35. Donations made to the Athens Historic Preservation Society are fully tax-deductible, and will support the preservation of the Meetinghouse.
Proceeds from this event will be shared between BCCL & AHPS. For more information, contact Sherry Maher at 802-869-2141, or follow Athens Meetinghouse on Facebook.