Amy Krzanik reports from Housatonic. “Look! There's one!" “Over there! Above you!" Voices young and old exclaimed excitedly as they toured Project Native's new Butterfly House on Friday, August 16. Interns and staff led guests through the new 35-by-55-foot enclosure, pointing out all stages of a butterfly's life cycle--from caterpillar and pupa, to full grown--and even calling attention to a pair of mating Monarchs. Built this spring with donations from two board members and a grant from Berkshire Bank, the structure is home to native plants that both caterpillars and butterflies prefer, like parsley, carrot, and milkweed. The nonprofit regularly holds summertime butterfly safaris for children, which help educate and also supply insects for the Butterfly House. Project Native’s goal is to promote, restore and sustain native habitats in the Berkshire Taconic region and it makes plants and seeds available to the public in its nursery. The 54-acre farm, native plant nursery, and wildlife sanctuary is open mid-April through November. (Pictured above L to R: Intern Ellen Drews, who's here for the summer from Chicago, Project Native Trustee Barry Shapiro, and Marjorie Shapiro.)
Acting General Manager and Operations Director David Ellis and Education & Outreach Coordinator Karen Lyness LeBlanc; Intern Peter Slothower, Hayley Nickerson, and Elaine Nickerson.
Peter Slowthower gives guests a tour of the new Butterfly House.
Project Native Board Members Frank Lowenstein and Narain Schroeder; Jack Sadoway and Maggie Sadoway.
Not flying around quite yet--the Butterfly House has bugs at every stage.
Nancy Kuntz of South Egremont and Paula Ober of NYC; Propagation and See Bank Manager Lou Kratt and Moi Kerans.
Claire Ward, Alice Wislocki, and George Wislocki; Have a seat inside the Butterfly House and the charts will help you identify what you've seen.
Written by
Matteline deVries-Dilling, founder of Lite Brite Neon, one of the evening's honoree of this year's Upstate Benefit adresses the gala from the Caboose's caboose.
- Karen Pearson. Courtesy Art Omi.
Olana senior vice president and landscape curatorMark Prezorski, president Sean Sawyer, The evenings honoree Kristin Gamble and New York State Assemblymember Didi Barrett.
- Oxygen House Photo
