Judy Burris and Wayne Richards – superb local naturalists

It was great to see Judy Burris and Wayne Richards at the Kids’ Caterpillar Weekend at Natural Bridge State Resort Park. I always appreciate their lively, entertaining and educational presentations. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading their newest book, Nature’s Notes: Bite-sized learning and projects for all ages.

I agree with this quote from a review by Carole Brown, “Nature’s Notes is full of tips and projects to make learning about nature fun for kids of all ages. As an adult, you’ll appreciate the stunning photography that fills these pages. You’ll also get to know your own wildlife garden much better by using the tips in this delightful book.”

After looking at Nature’s Notes, our six-year-old friend Nancy proclaimed that she really liked the photos – “especially the tiny turtle.” Another friend said, “Every household with kids needs a book like this.” I agree. I’m inspired by Judy’s and Wayne’s photography and their ideas for exploring nature, and I’ll be trying several of their suggestions in our backyard. Continue reading “Judy Burris and Wayne Richards – superb local naturalists”

Fascinating caterpillars

I thoroughly enjoyed the Kids’ Caterpillar Weekend at Natural Bridge State Resort Park. Naturalists Tyler Morgan and Brian Gasdorf were enthusiastic and gracious hosts. Tyler’s excellent presentations and the caterpillar hunts were both educational and fun. Other highlights of the weekend were Judy Burris and Wayne Richards’ delightful butterfly presentation, a butterfly hunt and moth watch.

I’m amazed at the different caterpillar shapes, colors, and designs, as well as their intriguing names. Here’s a sample of what we saw. Click any image for a larger version and click the enlargement to view the next image.

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Kids’ Caterpillar Weekend, Aug. 24 & 25 at Natural Bridge State Park

I’m excited about the Kids’ Caterpillar Weekend. Tyler Morgan is enthusiastic and knowledgeable about caterpillars, butterflies and moths, and I’m impressed with his agenda for the weekend. I also look forward to seeing Wayne Richards and Judy Burris again. I always enjoy their presentations, and their 3 books about butterflies and exploring nature are among my favorites. 

Please share this information with anyone who might be interested. Hope to see you there! Here are the details, or download a flyer (2MB PDF).

Natural Bridge Caterpillar weekend 2012

Natural Bridge State Resort Park would like to welcome nature lovers of all ages to our Kids’ Caterpillar Weekend on August 24-25! This event will provide a unique opportunity to discover the diverse world of caterpillars, moths, and butterflies – most within arm’s reach!

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Insect bait – an experiment in fermentation

Although there are some blooms in the garden, I haven’t been seeing many butterflies and I decided to try an experiment. I made bait using a ripe banana, brown sugar, molasses, beer, and overly-ripe peaches, and let it ferment. I put some bait in a hummingbird feeder and more on a strip of terrycloth, and hung them in the backyard.

Fermented insect feeders

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Cecropia moth and caterpillars

My friend, Amanda Cawby, noticed something unusual in the road one night. Not sure what it was but afraid it would be run over, she stopped to pick it up. To her surprise, it was a Cecropia moth (Hyalophora cecropia), another of our large silkworm moths. Cecropicas typically have a wingspan of 4-6 inches.

Hyalophora cecropia moth

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