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A special FIELD TRIP with Dr. Pearson. This field trip will accommodate those with an eye for shorebirds and tiger beetles. Willcox and the Sulphur Springs Valley are among the best places in Arizona for fall migrating shorebirds, and with 18 species of tiger beetles, it has one of the highest diversities of tiger beetle species in North America, including several endemic species and subspecies- a veritable paradise!
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As good butterfly stories go, Marceline VandeWater and Gretchen Bickert have their share of doozies. VandeWater, a Scottsdale botanist, recalls seeing a pair of metallic black-blue pipevine swallowtails so busy mating that they let themselves be devoured by a preying mantis. It was so terrible and sad, I deleted all the pictures I had taken of them, and I didn’t stay to watch the outcome, she says, grimacing.
Bickert, a registrar at the Phoenix Zoo, recounts a canoe trip in Peru: This thing came floating down out of the forest toward us, and I kept looking at it, and looking at it, like ‘What is that thing?’ No kidding, it was as big as a bird! she says of her encounter with a rainforest-dwelling blue morpho, an electric-blue, iridescent monstrosity of a butterfly that can reach a wingspan of 8 inches.
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Saturday & Sunday / March 8-9 / 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
The Desert Botanical Garden is the perfect setting to experience the beauty of the southwest wildflower season. During this weekend, visitors will have the opportunity to participate in activities designed to enhance their understanding of desert blossoms. In addition to taking a tour of our wildflower trail, guests can learn about Arizona plant societies, conservation organizations and botanical institutions, enjoy music by local musicians, participate in demonstrations, and shop in the Flower Power Market. New this year, guests will learn about eco-friendly or “green” products and services.
All activities are included with membership or paid admission and are subject to change.
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"How to Build Butterfly Garden".
Saturday, Feb. 23 from 9 a.m. to Noon
Scottsdale Gardener Adriane Grimaldi will present a 3-hour workshop on How to Build A Butterfly Garden as we head into spring. Learn some identification of specific butterflies, what plants to plant to attract butterflies to your garden and learn about the amazing life cycle they go through to become butterflies. Handouts will be available to help start your butterfly garden this spring.
Class is Saturday, Feb. 23 from 9 a.m. to Noon at Horizon Community Center, 15444 N. 100th St., Scottsdale. Cost is $24 for Scottsdale residents and $36 for non-residents through the Scottsdale Parks and Recreation Department.
To register, contact (480) 312-7957 or click on the link "read more".
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Nowhere in nature is there so much beautiful colour as on the wings of butterflies. Scientists, however, are still baffled about exactly how these colours are created. Marco Giraldo has been examining the structure of the surface of the wings of the cabbage white and other butterflies. Among the things he has discovered is why European cabbage whites are rebuffed more often than Japanese ones. Giraldo will be awarded a PhD by the University of Groningen on 25 January 2008.
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