Last updated: September 9, 2024

The Lancaster Butterfly and Entomological Club
2024 Our 28th year!

.     .   .  
             Sachem 7 May 2024       Wheel Bug Nymphs 3 Sep 2023           Mourning Cloak 4 Mar 2024             
Photographs by Fred Habegger

Next Events
Held At the North Museum
400 College Avenue at Buchanan Avenue, Lancaster, PA

For meeting and field trip information including weather cancelation contact Karl Gardner at .

  

Monday,  September 9, 2024   7:00 PM
Held at the North Museum.
     The original program for September 9 was moved to October.
"The Behavior of 3 Species of Solitary Hymenoptera and their Nesting Habits" by member Ryan Woolwine. Hymenoptera is the classification division for bees, wasps, and ants. Many bee and wasp species look for shelters in the wild, but only use those which meet their requirements. Ryan constructed the nesting houses himself for this study which was done on his property.
Non-members welcome. Free

A two page brochure listing club information including programs and field trips is at:
2024 Lancaster Butterfly & Entomological Club Brochure. The landscape-formatted, two page brochure can be printed two-sided with 'short-edge' binding or printed one side at a time.

The regular meetings of the Lancaster Butterfly &  Entomological Club are held on the first Monday of every month from March through October (except September when we meet on the second Monday).

Meeting Location: Kinsey room on the second floor of the North Museum of Natural History & Science, at the corner of College Avenue and Buchanan Avenue, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.                Time: --- 7:00 to 9:00 P.M.

Everyone is invited to the meetings, which are free to all.
Please use the
Main entrance (which faces the intersection) and bring a friend.

The purpose of the club is to study butterflies and insects and to share that information at our meetings. Catch the enthusiasm and attend our lively club meetings. Most meetings include a lecture, discussion, and show-and-tell of books, bugs, host plants, or photos. Members and friends are invited to field trips in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania throughout the season. Learn what can be found in this area and meet other enthusiasts.

Members and friends are also welcome to participate in 2 butterfly counts which are part of the North American Butterfly Association's Fourth of nationwide July Butterfly Count program which require a nominal participation fee by NABA. They are listed below.


The Butterfly sightings page is active and sightings are being accepted for 2024.

*** Butterfly sightings by year & month ***


Local butterfly sightings are at:
2024 Lancaster County butterfly sightings.

30 species seen in Lancaster County so far in 2024 (Aug 25, Jul-May incomplete,
Apr 2, Mar 5 sp, Feb 1 sp).
Updated 8-7-24.

The first si8ting date for each month is listed for the 90 species seen in
Lancaster County since 2009.
The last butterfly of the year (Orange Sulphur) was seen Nov 30, 2023.
Information on contributing to this data base is on the page.

The 58 butterfly species seen in Lancaster County in 2023.

Membership Information: If you wish to join the club, annual dues are $15 per household, payable at club meetings or by mail. Lancaster Butterfly and Entomological Club, Jan Schaefer, 154 Pinetown Rd, Leola, PA 17540. Jan Schaefer at  Dues Form

Unless otherwise noted, photographs on this page are by Karl Gardner.


Activity Dates for 2024
  

Monday,  April 1, 2024ç   
Held at the North Museum.
"Surprising Lepidoptera - Accounts from Field Trips and Class Material of an Amateur Entomologist" by Jess Bock. Her talk will include some of her photography, and a summary of her favorite scientific papers that were discussed in class, with nods to April fools day via examples of camouflage, mimicry, and other surprising butterfly behavior and adaptations. Jess was born and grew up in Medellin Colombia to two herpetologist parents so she spent a lot of time outside. She went to college in Bar Harbor, Maine at the College of the Atlantic. Traveling around Colombia to different ecosystems and spending ix weeks in Costa Rica provided the material for her talk.
Photograph by Jess Bock.

  
Monday,  May 6, 2024   7:00 PM 
Held at the North Museum
"Radio tags: The Future of Monarch Butterfly Tracking" by member Gayle Steffy. In an effort to better understand and save our beloved monarch, scientists are now using very high frequency radio transmitters.  Gayle will discuss the types of transmitters being developed, the challenges involved, and what we can learn about monarchs using them.
  

Monday, June 3, 2024   7:00 PM 
Held at the North Museum
"Nature in Lancaster County" by member Fred Habbeger who will show some of his outstanding videos and photographs. Fred leads three Butterfly Count field trips each year to which the Club and others are invited.   Photograph by Fred Habegger.

Saturday, June 29, 2024
CHANGE TO MEETING TIME AND LOCATION
Saturday, June 29, 2024   1:00 PM  FIELD TRIP
"Furnace Hills Fourth of July Butterfly Count". We will meet at 1:00 PM at the Visitor Center at Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area.   (NOT the Warwick Township Municipal Building.) Please connect with our leader, Fred Habegger, in the parking lot outside. at 1 PM. Fred will be guiding the Count through different areas of Middle Creek until 4:00 PM. This is part of the North American Butterfly Association's Fourth of July Butterfly Count program. $3.00 fee required which goes to NABA. Compiler Fred Habegger (Weather/cancelation or questions: 717-859-2521). Non-members welcome.

  

Monday,  July 1, 2024  7:00 PM 
Held at the North Museum
"Insect Galls" by member John D. Laskowski. A hands-on presentation by the retired "Mothman". http://www.mothman.org/
Photo: Three gall species on Dwarf Hackberry.
Non-members welcome. Free



Saturday, July 13, 2024   10:00 AM  FIELD TRIP   .
"The 25th Annual Holtwood Fourth of July Butterfly Count."
Meet at the Muddy Run Park visitor's center at 10 AM. $3.00 fee required which goes to NABA. Compiler: Fred Habegger (Weather/cancelation info.717-859-2521).
Photograph by Fred Habegger.
Non-members welcome.
  


Monday,  August 5, 2024   7:00 PM 
Held at the North Museum
“Members' Night” Programs by our members. Members share recent sightings, photos, movies, specimens, books, and observations.
Non-members welcome. Free



Saturday, August 17, 2024   10:00 AM    FIELD TRIP
"Furnace Hills Rerun Butterfly Count
."  Meet at 10 AM at Middle Creek Visitor's center. No fee. Leader: Fred Habegger (Weather/cancelation info.717-859-2521)
Non-members welcome. Free
  

Monday,  September 9, 2024   7:00 PM
Held at the North Museum.
     The original program was moved to October
"The Behavior of 3 Species of Solitary Hymenoptera and their Nesting Habits" by member Ryan Woolwine. Hymenoptera is the classification division for bees, wasps, and ants. Many bee and wasp species look for shelters in the wild, but only use those which meet their requirements. Ryan constructed the nesting houses himself for this study which was done on his property.
Non-members welcome. Free

Monday,  October 7, 2024   7:00 PM   
Held at the North Museum.
--> This program was originally scheduled for September. <--
"Samuel Haldeman" by Tina Mark of the Samuel Haldeman Mansion who will present a program on Samuel Haldeman, an early naturalist in Pennsylvania who published many papers, helped establish the Entomological Society of Pennsylvania and lived in Lancaster County
Non-members welcome. Free

*** Butterfly sightings by year ***

The -- butterfly species seen in Lancaster County in 2024
The 58 butterfly species seen in Lancaster County in 2023
The 56* butterfly species seen in Lancaster County in 2022
The 61 butterfly species seen in Lancaster County in 2021
The 53 butterfly species seen in Lancaster County in 2020
The 58 butterfly species seen in Lancaster County in 2019
The 57 butterfly species seen in Lancaster County in 2018
The 61 butterfly species seen in Lancaster County in 2017
The 64 butterfly species seen in Lancaster County in 2016
The 60 butterfly species seen in Lancaster County in 2015
The 75 butterfly species seen in Lancaster County in 2013
The 79 butterfly species seen in Lancaster County in 2012
The 70 butterfly species seen in Lancaster County in 2011
The 72 butterfly species seen in Lancaster County in 2010
The 67 butterfly species seen in Lancaster County in 2009
Photographs of Lancaster Butterflies  - 2012 and 2011
* means report incomplete.

Further Afield - Other organizations

Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.


For information on events at the North Museum go to North Museum.
For Butterfly sightings in Lancaster Co. for 2024 go to Lancaster Co. Butterflies 2024.
For Butterfly sightings in Berks County for 2024 go to Berks Co. - Butterflies 2024
For Butterfly walks in Berks County go to Berks County Nature - Butterfly Walks 2024.
For Nature events in Berks County go to Berks County Nature.

         
Black Swallowtail - Queen Anne's Lace    Male Zabulon Skipper               Spring Azure                        

  
                  Zebra Swallowtail Caterpillar    Periodical Cicada Just Hatched Nymph
May 31, 2024                July 29, 2021
Photographs by Karl Gardner