We will be hosting several programs for adults this winter into spring at the Marion Natural History Museum including Wednesday morning community/senior programs – 10:30 to 11:30
“Butterfly Man”- March 9 – Joe Dwelly a Yarmouth resident, will be visiting the Marion Natural History Museum to share what he knows about our local species. Mr. Dwelly will give advice about where they can be found and how community members can attract them to their own backyards. For Dwelly, “It’s important to raise awareness about how butterflies contribute to the biodiversity of the area. Butterfly conservation matters because it will improve the local environment,” Dwelly says. “In terms of wildlife, but also the beauty they bring to our shores.” Not only will he teach attendees about particular habitat and migration patterns, Dwelly will also profile plant and butterfly “pairings,” which can run the gamut. And for the southeastern Massachusetts area, that means he will highlight a handful of his favorites, including Monarchs and milkweed, the Spicebush Swallowtail and sassafras, and the Mourning Cloak and hackberry. “We are limited up north because of our particular climate,” Dwelly says. “But by becoming familiar with the exceptional grasslands and plant habitats, we can support a diverse range of unique butterflies.”
Unique Birds of Marion – March 30 – Justin Barrett of the Nasketucket Bird Club will be discussing our native bird species. We’ll explore some of the most unique and rare birds that call Marion home or use it as a stopover site during migration. Join us to see what makes Marion the perfect place for these birds.
To Bee or Not to BEE – Creating a pollinator garden for bees – April 6
There’s a lot of “buzz” about pollinators these days. Protect our pollinators. Save the bees. Avoid “spicy bees.” It’s no question. Pollinators are critical to the life we are familiar with today. What exactly defines a “bee” or any other insect pollinator. How are they different from other animals? Each of these insects have unique requirements, behaviors and seasonality. If we truly want to help bees, we need to think about the biology of bees. What plants should we grow to best suit any dietary restrictions? How should we treat our gardens and yards to provide suitable homes? What habits do we have today that might be negatively impacting their populations (even if inadvertent?)
Together, we will review the following:
-Biology of what defines a bee (pollinator?)
-Unique challenges bees face
-Gardening tips to helps support our insect pollinators
-Can we modify those trends to accommodate for our native species?
-Is there anything else we can do beyond gardening?
The above listed programs are free programs but preregistration is required. To register, please go to www.marionmuseum.org and send us an email. Facemasks will be required for museum entrance.