POTSDAM — Everyone in our community is invited to help monitor the development of Monarch butterflies at several locations in Potsdam beginning on Monday, July 1. 

Locations include the St. Lawrence Nursery, Potsdam Public Library, Potsdam Town Hall, Potsdam Agway, and the Children’s Museum of St. Lawrence County.

Check each location for their hours and be sure to stop by regularly to see the caterpillars grow and spin their chrysalis. 

Then keep visiting each location to await the emergence and release of the butterflies.

“The Monarch butterfly is one of our most endangered pollinators, and the Climate Smart Communities Task Force is sponsoring this project to engage our community in better understanding the Monarch, its development, and habitat needs so that we can better encourage habitat for all of our pollinators,” said Mark Cornett, chairperson of the Pollinator Committee of the Task Force. “Each location will have an interpretive sign that provides information about the Monarch’s life cycle, as well as their incredible migration. We, at their northern destination, need to provide habitat to sustain them.”

To follow, share your observations, and track our Monarchs, friend the Village and Town of Potsdam Climate Smart Communities Task Force Facebook page at Climate Smart Communities – Potsdam.

The Village and Town of Potsdam Climate Smart Communities Task Force is an appointed group of volunteers who work to advise the Village and Town on initiatives and actions to improve our communities’ sustainability. Currently, the Task Force is assisting both the Town and Village in their Clean Energy Community Campaigns, planning initiatives, and the Compost for Good campaign. Check us out at the Potsdam Farmers’ Market and at the Summerfest ‘Energy Zone’ for more information.