Docents Roberta and Steve Messenger introduced Ruth & John Andre to a diverse group of guests at the South Fork Nature Center on July 18th. Ruth, a butterfly expert and a retired teacher for environmental education, shared live examples of butterflies and their lifecycle and brought eggs, larvae, host plants, chrysalis, and adult butterflies such as the zebra & giant swallowtails, monarchs, fritillaries and others. We all delighted in the jewel-like beauty of the Monarch chrysalis! The live butterflies were kept cool and calm in little envelopes in an iced bag. They emerged to obligingly sit on a hand or finger for inspection, identification and admiration, before warming up and taking wing.

We all delighted in the jewel-like beauty of the Monarch chrysalis! The live butterflies were kept cool and calm in little envelopes in an iced bag. They emerged to obligingly sit on a hand or finger for inspection, identification and admiration, before warming up and taking wing.

John Andre is retired from the US Forest Service and an expert in proscribed burns, vegetation, birds and more. He led the group off on the walking trail and described the use of fire by Indians to manage their forest to create a savanna like forest. The partially open canopy allowed sunlight to encourage grasses and other herbaceous plants as food sources for deer, elk, bison, turkey and other browsers. During the walk several animals were discovered including a female box turtle and they were able to identify the songs of several birds such as summer tanager and pine warbler.

The Docents reminded everyone that part of the mission of Gates Rodger’s Foundation is to return much of the South Fork Nature Center to its state some 100 years ago.