Master Gardener Karen Conlon will speak at the Old Town Public Library’s Gardening Workshop Series at 5:30 p.m. on Aug. 5.

Conlon will speak on monarch butterflies. Easily recognized by their large and vibrant orange wings, Monarch butterflies are also known for their incredible mass migration, in which millions of them travel to California and Mexico each winter.

The eastern population of monarchs, those which summer east of the Rocky Mountains, and can be found here in Maine, seems to be dwindling. Scientists believe this decrease in population is partially due to natural disasters and deforestation in their Mexican wintering grounds, as well as reduced acreage of milkweed plants in the northeast, their summering home. and she will share her love for monarch butterflies, and tell us how we can help provide better habitats, to encourage these lovely pollinators to visit our own gardens each year.

Conlon is a Penobscot County Master Gardener with an appreciation for Maine and US native plants. She has spent the last 10 years cultivating native plants and educating the public at Roger’s Farm demonstration garden in Old Town. In learning about the demise of the Monarch Butterfly, she started raising them three years ago, after finding monarch eggs in her Roger’s Farm Native garden.

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn more about gardening, ask questions of the experts, socialize with fellow gardeners, borrow library gardening materials, receive take-away resources, and enjoy light refreshments.

For further details, contact the library at 827-3972, or send email otpl@old-town.org.

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