Baltimore Checkerspot Lecture

We had such a terrific North American Butterfly Association Count in Rhode Island this year (see results here), and the star of the show was the Baltimore Checkerspot! 3,240 of these beautiful butterflies were found in a single field. The team that surveyed the site was joined by Dr. Deane Bowers of the University of Colorado, who studies the Baltimore Checkerspot and is on sabbatical at Brown University. Dr Bowers will be presenting a talk on this remarkable butterfly and its life cycle. I hope you will attend!

Baltimore Checkerspot Butterfly: Evolution Unfolding
Environmental Education Center
1401 Hope St, Bristol, RI
Thursday, September 30
7 – 8:30pm
$6/member, $8/non-member
To register: Call (401) 949-5454 ext. 3041.

"The striking Baltimore Checkerspot butterfly is native to the eastern United States. Not only gorgeous behold, they have a fascinating story. Historically, the caterpillars fed on turtlehead, a wetland plant, and the butterflies were relatively uncommon. But recently populations of these butterflies have been making the switch to a different host plant - common Ribwort Plantain. This has sometimes resulted in dramatic population increases. Dr. M. Deane Bowers of the University of Colorado has studied the Baltimore Checkerspot for over 30 years and will share her research and a unique perspective on evolution unfolding in our lifetime."