Sunday, April 24, 2022
9:00am – 12:00pm 

$30 per person, ($25 for Friends of Pepperwood)
Ages 13 and up welcome 
Meet at the Dwight Center

If you have ever found yourself captivated by a butterfly flitting past, or wondered what the names of the butterflies in your yard are, this is the outing for you! During this exploration in the field at Pepperwood, legendary lepidopterist Liam O’Brien will lead us on an adventure to find examples from each of the five butterfly families. You will learn the basics of butterfly identification and some of the incredible ecological relationships which surround these insects. Liam will demonstrate that the oft-maligned butterfly net is actually a valuable field tool…and not an instrument of death. It will be a catch-and-release day for all creatures involved! As an added bonus, get a glimpse into the world of diurnal (daytime) moths such as leaf-miners, with guest entomologist Chris Grinter. 

This event includes a slow-paced hike, of 1-3 miles on varied terrain. It will go on with a slight chance of light rain, though steadier rain will cancel. All events will align with the current regional health guidelines. Please bring a mask and be prepared to wear it when indoors (in the bathrooms), and when 6 feet of courtesy distance cannot be maintained from others. In case of cancellation due to weather or health safety measures, refunds will be offered. 

 

Liam O’Brien is an illustrator, lepidopterist, and conservationist. When not writing his monthly Flying Pansy column for Bay Nature Magazine’s website, he’s primarily working to protect the endangered Mission blue butterfly for the National Park Service in the Marin Headlands. Liam was a 2014 Bay Nature Local Hero Award recipient for Environmental Education. Liam’s first book on butterflies for Heyday Press will hit the shelves in 2025.

 

 

Want to make a full Lepidoptera-loving weekend out of it? We’re also hosting our Exploring the Mysteries of Moths event the previous night, Saturday, April 23, which you can register for here. PLUS we’re offering the add-on option for camping out at the Bechtel House between these two events! Sign up for both of these classes, and then you can add-on your registration for camping here.

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Register for this class using the secure form below.

To register, select the applicable level below, either General or Friends of Pepperwood and click +Add. On mobile devices, please scroll all the way to the right to find the +Add button. In the pop up window, enter your information and scroll to the bottom to click “Continue”. Next, on the main form, you may add your additional donation amount in the open field, then click the green “Continue” button to move to the final page for payment. Click the green “Process” button on this final page to complete your transaction. 

Early bird registration for Friends of Pepperwood begins at 9am on Monday, December 6, 2021. Enter the code you received as a current Friend of Pepperwood to access early registration and to receive your discount. If you’re not sure about your Friends of Pepperwood status or don’t know the code, contact Sloane Shinn, Community Engagement, at sshinn@pepperwoodpreserve.org or (707) 591-9310 x 133. Click here to become a Friend of Pepperwood today!

Registration for the general public begins at 9am on Monday, December 13, 2021.

For all questions about this event, please contact Holland Gistelli, Education Program Coordinator, at hgistelli@pepperwoodpreserve.org or (707) 591-9310 x 124.