Event Detail

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Jul
07
Tuesday
Jul
07
Tue
Education :: Environment also Sports & Rec :: Outdoors
Butterflies with Naturalist Brian Williams
10:30 AM (America/Denver)
O'Brien Creek Trailhead
Description:
LOCATION: MEET AT THE O’BRIEN CREEK TRAILHEAD

Date: Tuesday, July 7
Time: 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

Would you like to know more about our beautiful butterflies? Brush up on your butterfly identification with naturalist Brian Williams. We will have nets for you to use as we leisurely walk and net butterflies along the O’Brien Creek trail. Brian will highlight identifying features and discuss life history details.

The O’Brien Creek trail has a mix of coniferous woodland, riparian flora, open meadows, and a creek. This mix of habitats with abundant flowers and water is attractive to many species of butterfly. From the tiny blues to giant swallowtails, you are sure to catch and release beautiful specimens. What a lovely way to spend the day!

We will pause for an outdoor lunch along the way.

COVID-19 precautions: We will be able to maintain social distance along this trail and can safely enjoy the butterflies outside. When we are grouped closer together to identify a butterfly we will wear masks.

Brian Williams is a fourth-grade teacher at Hawthorne Elementary School. He previously worked as the assistant education director at the Montana Natural History Center and created the Montana Master Naturalist program. He has compiled data from annual butterfly counts for the North American Butterfly Association and has spent summers collecting and studying butterflies for educational purposes.

Highlights:

Close-up views of magnificent butterflies
Expert information
Tips on butterfly identification
Included:

Use of nets
What to Bring:

Face mask
Water, snacks, lunch
Clothes appropriate for changing Montana weather conditions: layers, hat, sunglasses, sturdy shoes
Sunscreen
Your own net and guidebook if you have them (optional)
Camera (optional)
Journal for note-taking (optional)

Cost: $40/$35 for MNHC members (add a membership at checkout)
Register Now
Age Group: All Ages
Venue: O'Brien Creek Trailhead
Address: 12460 O Brien Creek Road Missoula, MT 59804
Phone: 406.327.0405