Saturday, May 8, 2021 

1:00pm – 3:00pm
$35 per person, $30 for Friends of Pepperwood
Meet at the Dwight Center
Ages 13 and up welcome

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!

This event includes a slow-paced hike, of 1-3 miles on varied terrain. It will go on in light rain, though heavy storms will cancel. All events will align with the current Sonoma County and state health orders and guidelines for group activities to keep everyone safe during COVID-19. In case of cancellation due to weather or health safety measures, refunds will be offered. This event will be limited to a small group of participants per current group gathering requirements. Masks and social distancing will be required. Our bathroom facilities are sanitized before and after visitor groups.

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.

There is also an morning session available for this event, which can be found here.

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For all questions about this event, please contact Holland Gistelli, Education Specialist, at hgistelli@pepperwoodpreserve.org.

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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.

Friends of Pepperwood: Enter the code you received when you donated to receive your discount. If you’re not sure about your Friends of Pepperwood  status, contact Sloane Shinn, Community Associate, at sshinn@pepperwoodpreserve.org or (707) 591-9310 x 133.