Volunteers are needed to help maintain the Tampa Bay Butterfly Foundation-sponsored butterfly garden at Encore! Park located at 1210 E. Harrison St. (Corner of Harrison Street and Hank Ballard St.) To volunteer, click or copy and paste into a browser: https://volunteersignup.org/JMX3H
This camp will run daily from June 6 - 10.Daily Camp Hours: 8:30 am - 12:30 pm.Drop off 8:00-8:30 am | Pick up: 12:30-1:00 pm. Do you know what the state butterfly is? Do you know how many different types of butterflies call Tampa home? This week campers will learn about our native butterflies, their metamorphosis, and the native plants they rely on. Campers will learn about the important role butterflies play in pollination and will get to conduct experiments like the ones being conducted in space! Every child will get an opportunity to release a butterfly by the final day of camp (weather permitting). If you think the camp is full and/or are having trouble registering, please email: [email protected]
Join Tampa Bay Butterfly Foundation and NABA Tampa Bay on a butterfly walk at Picnic Island. Address is 7404 Picnic Island Boulevard in South Tampa. Meeting place will be between the bathrooms and pavilion #605. Cost is $5 for non-NABA members. Please bring payment morning of event. Plan for the outdoors, heat, mosquitoes, no-see-ums, getting feet wet if you don’t wear the right shoes to avoid it. Bring plenty of water to drink. So we will park initially and then caravan through as we make our way toward the exit. Species that could be seen include Cloudless sulphur, Orange-barred sulphur, White peacock, Zebra longwing, viceroy, Statira sulphur, Dainty sulphur, Common buckeye, Mangrove buckeye, Fiery skipper, Gulf fritillary, Phaon crescent, Cassius blue, Ceraunus blue, Monarch, Common white checkered skipper, Tropical white checkered skipper, and more. This is a new location that may be part of the North American Butterfly Association count circles for Tampa Bay. Come join us to help monitoring populations of butterflies in this beautiful park. Join Tampa Bay Butterfly Foundation and NABA Tampa Bay on a butterfly walk at Picnic Island in South Tampa. We will start out at around the southern-most part of the park and work our way to the entrance by 11:00 a.m. This event is subject to change due to weather.
This camp will run daily from June 13 - 17.Daily Camp Hours: 8:30 am - 12:30 pm.Drop off 8:00-8:30 am | Pick up: 12:30-1:00 pm. This week focuses on nocturnal pollinators, owls and other nocturnal creatures. We will meet some fun nocturnal creatures also! We will begin with learning activities and games followed by a daily bug hunt to look for all the things we learn about and hopefully discover more all around the nursery (weather pBats aren’t just for Halloween. Learn about nocturnal pollinators and other nocturnal creatures. Bats, moths, owls, and skunks are just some of the fun nocturnal friends we will meet! Campers will learn how bats navigate in the dark with a fun echolocation experiment. Crafts, activities, and live animal encounters throughout the week. We will learn the importance of our night loving friends AND sun loving butterflies. Every child will get an opportunity to release a butterfly by the final day of camp (weather permitting). If you think the camp is full and/or are having trouble registering, please email: [email protected]
This camp will run daily from June 20 - 24.Daily Camp Hours: 8:30 am - 12:30 pm.Drop off 8:00-8:30 am | Pick up: 12:30-1:00 pm. Why should Spiderman get all the glory? This week we shine a spotlight on our planet’s smallest superheroes. In addition to exploring ants, spiders, beetles and bugs, campers will learn about bugs that existed with the dinosaurs. (Did you know some were as big as 6’ tall?!) As always, there will be crafts, outside activities, and we will learn the importance of our lovable tiny giants AND butterflies in their ecosystem. Every child will get an opportunity to release a butterfly by the final day of camp (weather permitting). If you think the camp is full and/or are having trouble registering, please email: [email protected]
Location: Tampa Bay Butterfly Foundation Gallery, 4111-A Henderson Blvd., South Tampa (next door to Little Red Wagon Native Nursery) This is free to attend with Tampa Bay Butterfly Foundation. Registration required as space is limited.
Volunteers are needed to perform Hell Strip Habitat maintenance (4110 W. Estrella St.). To volunteer, click or copy and paste into a browser: https://volunteersignup.org/JR3FQ
Gardening Culture and EquityFeather Smith, Cherokee NationTara Rocha, Pollinator Posse Location: Tampa Bay Butterfly Foundation Gallery, 4111-A Henderson Blvd., South Tampa (next door to Little Red Wagon Native Nursery) This is free to attend with Tampa Bay Butterfly Foundation. Registration required as space is limited.
Bee My HoneyDr. Amina Harris, UC DavisDr. Elina Lastro Nino, UC Davis Bee Haven Location: Tampa Bay Butterfly Foundation Gallery, 4111-A Henderson Blvd., South Tampa (next door to Little Red Wagon Native Nursery) This is free to attend with Tampa Bay Butterfly Foundation. Registration required as space is limited.
Kenny has a Master of Arts in Global Sustainability with a concentration in Food Sustainability and Security. He is the owner of Critter Companions nursery in Tampa. His carnivorous plant nursery focuses on temperate and tropical species. He is a columnist, author, and nurseryman. Come learn about Florida’s endemic carnivorous plants and more. Florida has dozens of native species of carnivorous plants––more than any other state in the United States—including sundews, butterworts, bladderworts, and pitcher plants. These plants use appealing scents, leaves, and sticky fluids to trap and imprison insects. Digestive fluids then absorb the prey giving the plant its nutrients. Many of these plants can be grown at home in the backyard, in rain gardens, or in some cases on the windowsill. His carnivorous plant nursery in Tampa focuses on temperate and tropical species. His book, “Florida’s Carnivorous Plants” is expected to be released July 15th.
Lovely LepidopteraKevin Burls, Xerces SocietyJunaid Khan, Pollinator PartnershipDr. Chip Taylor, Monarch Watch Location: Tampa Bay Butterfly Foundation Gallery, 4111-A Henderson Blvd., South Tampa (next door to Little Red Wagon Native Nursery) This is free to attend with Tampa Bay Butterfly Foundation. Registration required as space is limited.
This presentation will be specific to Florida native species. You can expect lots of pretty pictures, a couple of gross ones, and one that is mildly scary. Patrick will be pleased if you come away from the talk having learned the two main types of biological mimicry, AND if you say to yourself once during the talk, “that is so cool”! If you come away as confused as he is about monarch/viceroy/queen mimicry, then you'll be up to speed with the experts. Patrick has been gardening for butterflies in Florida for more than a quarter century. He is never happier than when he has carefully gathered a handful of caterpillars to be moved to a different bed of host plants. He especially enjoys sharing his volunteer plants to get people started on their own butterfly gardening adventure. Patrick is a retired middle school biology teacher that now volunteers twice a week at the Florida Aquarium Center for Conservation working on the Coral Reef projects. He will talk about his news-breaking discovery to protect the baby corals. He is also an active member and volunteer with NABA Tampa Bay chapter.
4113 Henderson Blvd Tampa, FL 33629 • 813.551.BFLY (2359) • [email protected]
