Calendar of Events
Pollinators
Caterpillars — The Whole Story: Caterpillars, Connections, and Why Biodiversity Matters
Join Sam Jaffe of The Caterpillar Lab for a deep dive into the world of native caterpillars — and toward a more complete understanding of local biodiversity.
Pollinators We Love to Hate
Join Harris Center naturalist and entomologist Jenna Spear to find out what there is to love about mosquitoes, black flies, Japanese beetles, and more!
The Lazy Lawnmower: A Simple Way to Help Native Bees
Join Dr. Susannah Lerman to learn how a “lazy lawnmower” approach to maintaining your yard can help restore habitat for bees and other pollinators.
Firefly Watch with Mass Audubon
Join staff from Mass Audubon's Firefly Watch to learn how and why fireflies light up, how to identify them by their flash patterns, and how they can help inform us about a wide array of environmental issues.
Living Light: Fireflies, Light Pollution & What You Can Do To Help
Join entomologist Avalon C.S. Owens to learn how light pollution affects fireflies — along with some simple solutions for ensuring that our lights don't interfere with their unique bioluminescent signals.
Vermont’s Wild Bee Survey: What New Hampshire Can Learn
Join conservation biologist Kent McFarland to learn about the Vermont Wild Bee Survey, which is collecting data on the population status, habitat needs, and conservation of these essential invertebrates.
Monitoring for Monarchs
Join Harris Center ecologists Brett Amy Thelen and Karen Seaver to survey for monarch eggs and caterpillars in a Harris Center-conserved milkweed patch in Peterborough. No experience necessary!
Moth Lighting with The Caterpillar Lab
Join The Caterpillar Lab for an evening of moth lighting! Bring your curiosity, and prepare to be amazed by the diversity, size, and beauty of our local nocturnal insects.
Youth Program: Monitoring for Monarchs
Join Harris Center ecologist Karen Seaver and LAB GIRLS leaders Susie Spikol and Emily Wrubel for a morning in the milkweed patch doing real, hands-on field science.
Managing Meadows for Wildlife
Join ecologists Jeff Littleton and Steven Lamonde to explore techniques for managing meadows with wildlife in mind. We’ll discuss the importance of meadows for biodiversity, and share ideas for developing and maintaining habitat for birds, pollinators, and other wildlife.
Native Wild Bees: Pollinator Superheroes
Join pollinator gardener and wild bee enthusiast Francie Von Mertens for a talk on plant-pollinator connections, and what we can do in backyards and beyond to help wild native bees thrive.
Pollinator Palooza!
Join the Harris Center and many other organizations for an afternoon of learning and celebration for National Pollinator Week! Activities will include: a pollinator scavenger hunt, creating your own bee box, painting your own pot for a native plant, and more.
Kids Count for Wildlife: Monarchs & Milkweed Survey
Calling all kids ages 9 through 18 who care about wildlife! Try your hand at field research by joining the Harris Center for a morning of counting monarch caterpillars, eggs, and butterflies. If you like treasure hunts and have a sharp eye for finding things, this outing is for you.
Monitoring for Monarchs
Join Harris Center ecologists to survey for monarch eggs, caterpillars, and butterflies in a Harris Center-conserved milkweed patch in Peterborough. No experience necessary!
Insect Safari & Bug Bonanza
Join naturalist Susie Spikol for a morning meadow adventure in search of crickets, leafhoppers, butterflies, grasshoppers, and more. A great way for families with elementary-age children to learn about the wild world of arthropods.
Leave the Leaves
Learn the benefits of keeping your fall leaves and discover easy ways to turn leaves into compost or mulch with regenerative landscape designer Michele Chalice.
Monarch Butterfly Tagging
Every fall, monarch butterflies undertake a spectacular, 3,000-mile migration from New England to central Mexico. Here’s a chance to marvel at this far-ranging species up close and contribute to an understanding of their impressive annual migration!
Monadnock Region Natural History Conference
This full-day conference will feature presentations on a diversity of natural history topics, from wildlife to Mount Monadnock to accessibility in the outdoors.
The Secret Lives of Bees
Join bee expert Nick Dorian for an introduction to the wild bees of New England, which come in every size, shape, and color you can imagine — and live all around us, hiding in plain sight.
The Amazing Monarch Butterfly: Global Stories and Local Monitoring Efforts
Join Andy Chapman and Harris Center ecologist Karen Seaver to explore the fascinating life and migration of the monarch butterfly, including ways you can get involved in local monarch monitoring.
Butterflies of New Hampshire
Have you ever wondered which butterflies are flitting through your garden? Join retired wildlife biologist and butterfly fan Mark Ellingwood for an introduction to these captivating and charismatic insects.
Field Forays with the SuperSanctuary Butterfly Club
Calling all butterfly fans! Join wildlife biologist Mark Ellingwood and other members of the SuperSanctuary Butterfly Club for this two-part course as we practice identifying butterflies on the wing and in the net, in preparation for a statewide butterfly survey in July.
Native Plant Seeding Session at Silver Lake
Get your hands dirty with Harris Center ecologists Karen Seaver and Brett Amy Thelen during an afternoon of ecological restoration. Together, we’ll plant native starts and seeds (especially milkweeds) in a small field near Silver Lake, in hopes of supporting local pollinator biodiversity.
Pollinator Palooza!
Join us to celebrate National Pollinator Week! Learn from organizations throughout our region and enjoy games and activities for all ages.
Field Forays with the SuperSanctuary Butterfly Club
Calling all butterfly fans! Join wildlife biologist Mark Ellingwood and other members of the SuperSanctuary Butterfly Club for this two-part course as we practice identifying butterflies on the wing and in the net, in preparation for a statewide butterfly survey in July.
Kids Count for Wildlife: Monarchs and Milkweed Survey
If you love monarch butterflies and want to help scientists find out more about these remarkable insects, here’s your chance! Join a team of Harris Center naturalists at a local milkweed patch, where we’ll count monarch eggs, caterpillars, and butterflies.
Monitoring for Monarchs
Get ready for the International Monarch Monitoring Blitz by joining Harris Center ecologist Brett Amy Thelen to survey for monarch eggs, caterpillars, and butterflies in a Harris Center-conserved milkweed patch.
Native Plant Sale
Great news: locally grown native plants are available in the Monadnock Region! Come meet grower Aaron Abitz — a man on a mission to help both pollinators and people — and take home some beautiful plants for your yard and garden.
Monarch Butterfly Tagging
Every fall, monarch butterflies undertake a spectacular, 3,000-mile migration from New England to central Mexico. Here’s your chance to marvel at monarchs up close while contributing to the scientific understanding of their impressive annual migration!
