IN THIS ISSUE
Lessons Learned: 25 Years in Land Development
Volunteer! Wildlife Garden at Merrimac Farm
Amazing Insect Tour
Bird Walk at Merrimac Farm
Stream Restoration Talk |
Edible, adj.: Good to eat, and wholesome to digest, as a worm to a toad, a toad to a snake, a snake to a pig, a pig to a man, and a man to a worm. ~Ambrose Bierce
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 Zebra Swallowtail Eurytides marcellus
Wingspan: 2 ½ - 4 inches
The Northern Virginia region's only "kite" swallowtail is the unmistakable Zebra Swallowtail.
No other butterfly has its triangle-shaped, zebra-striped wings, which taper to long, graceful tails.
Below, a brilliant red stripe slashes across the hindwing. The summer generation is larger and has proportionally wider stripes and longer tails than the spring generation.
Look for Zebras sailing along watercourses or nectaring nearby in marshes and fields.
Zebra caterpillars require pawpaw trees (Asimina triloba), a shrub or small tree that grows beneath taller trees in rich, damp woods. |
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Prince William Conservation Alliance
703-499-4954
pwconserve.org |
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| Lessons Learned: 25 Years in Land Development |
 1st Thursday Speaker Series
When: Thursday, June 7, 7:30-9:00pm
Where: Bull Run Unitarian Church, 9350 Main Street, Manassas
Speaker: Ed Milhous, Trees Please
Ed Milhous runs TreesPlease, a consulting firm that provides landowners, managers and developers with information about lawns, landscapes, and trees in the DC region. Please join us Thursday evening for Ed's presentation on Lessons Learned from 25 years working in land development, including discussion on why developers hate trees so much, how cutting down trees can help save the Bay and what we can do to mitigate the devastation. |
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| Volunteer! Wildlife Garden at Merrimac Farm |
 When: June 9, 9:00am to Noon
Where: Merrimac Farm Stone House Visitor Center, 15020 Deepwood Lane, directions
Help create a wildlife hotspot at the Stone House backyard! Workday tasks include planting, weeding, mulching and removing invasive plants that try to sneak their way back.
Bring a smile and a shovel. Wheelbarrows and gardening tools are also useful. The birds and butterflies will appreciate your help.
Click HERE for for more information about this project.
RSVP appreciated: alliance @pwconserve.org, 702-499-4954 |
 When: Saturday, June 16, from 1:00 to 3:00 pm
Where: Merrimac Farm Stone House Visitor Center, 15020 Deepwood Lane, directions
Stick insects, katydids, mantises, butterflies, moths and dragonflies are busy foraging and reproducing in fields and forests. They may be quiet, small and easy to pass by, but insects make the world go round. They pollinate plants, dispose of dead things and provide food for countless other animals.
Join walk leaders Judy Gallagher and Kim Hosen for a closer look at insects we discover in fields and forest edges at Merrimac Farm. For more information and to register (appreciated), email [email protected] or call 703.499.4954. |
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Bird Walk at Merrimac Farm |
When: Sunday, June 24... on the last Sunday of every month, beginning at 8:00 am
Where: Merrimac Farm Stone House Visitor Center, 15020 Deepwood Lane, directions
We'll look for birds and other wildlife, especially butterflies and dragonflies, as we travel through the uplands to the edge of the floodplain, covering a variety of habitats, including open fields and woodland edges. Everyone is welcome. Dress for the weather, bring binoculars and cameras. More info and RSVP (not required) to PWCA , 703.499.4954 or alliance(at)pwconserve.org. |
 1st Thursday Speaker Series
When: Thursday, July 5, 7:30–9:00 pm
Where: Bull Run Unitarian Church, 9350 Main Street, Manassas, directions
Speaker: Tom Dombrowski is an Environmental Engineer with Prince William County Department of Public Works Watershed Branch, specializing in wetlands, streams and environmental assessments.
Stable streams that meander through wooded areas in and near neighborhoods help create attractive communities, and provide important habitat to various flora and fauna. However, a stable stream is hard to find in developed areas and restoration/stabilization efforts can be complicated.
Stream restoration can be expensive and often may take years before the benefits are visible. PWC has completed several significant restorations and more are planned. How are streams selected for restoration? What are the goals? Participants will learn about the basic concepts and techniques of stream restoration projects, including criteria for selecting restoration sites and evaluating goal success.
This program is part of PWCA's Stream Stewards, more information is online HERE. |
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