2150 North Alvernon Way, Tucson, Arizona 85712 326-9686 www.tucsonbotanical.org

Volunteer and Docent Newsletter

February 2011

1

—ALL-VOLUNTEER MEETING—

Thursday, February 10 9:30AM, Porter Hall

TRINCHERAS AGRICULTURE

The educational speaker will be Ron Bridgemon who will present information on Trincheras Agriculture, prehistoric uses and contemporary issues.

Example of prehistoric trincheras technology at a cave site in Chihuahua, Mexico.

!!! GIFT SHOP RAFFLE !!!

The Gift Shop is holding raffles on 2 separate items. One is a solid wooden rocking chair and the other is a decorative wooden bench. The tickets will be $10.00 a piece. A

limited number of tickets will be sold for each, so your chances are increased!

Help support the Gardens and win a great piece of furniture in the process!! Tickets are available at the Gift Shop.

—VOLUNTEER MEETINGS— FEBRUARY

• Horticultural Therapy Outreach Volunteers

Wednesday, February 2, 9AM Education Classroom

• Tour Guides/Proctors/ Signature Class Instructors

Wednesday, February 9, Noon-1PM Education Classroom

Meet in the Education Classroom. We will discuss these programs as well as schedule docents to implement them. If you are interested in leading tours, proctoring classes, or teaching Signature Classes, please stop by. We’re brown bagging it, so bring your lunch if you want.

—DOCENT TRAINING— 9-week Course

February 9 - April 6, Wednesdays

Small fee to cover the cost of materials + membership

Please contact (520) 326-9686, ext. 39, to reserve space.

WHAT DOES A DOCENT DO?

• Participate in specialized training sessions

• Lead garden tours

• Present educational outreach programs for adults and children

• Staff educational carts

• Implement horticultural therapy programs

• Teach Gardens’ Signature classes

• Staff volunteer booths at community events

• Information center to provide Gardens information to visitors as a Gardens’ Interpreter

WHAT DO DOCENTS LEARN?

• History of Tucson Botanical Gardens

• Botany for Gardeners

• Wildflowers

• Gardening for Birds and Butterflies

• Water Resources and Conservation

• Principles of Xeriscaping

• Desert Ecology

• Herb Gardening

• Ethnobotany

• Tour Guide and Presentation Skills

Butterfly Magic Elizabeth Willott, Curator

Butterfly Magic – Asian Month We received our first shipment direct from the Tropical Entomological House in Malaysia. By the time you read this, in our exhibit we will have Clippers, Cruisers, Eggflies, Paper Kites, Tigers, Pansies, and more. London Pupae Supply has also managed to get us some relatively inexpensive Priamus Birdwings, so this year we have been graced for those throughout December and January. Some Birdwings have yet to emerge, so we can expect at least a few to be with us through February.

Continuing Butterfly Education The Southeast Arizona Butterfly Association meets Tuesday February 15. The topic is “ARIZONA TREES & THE BUTTERFLIES THAT LOVE THEM” and the speaker is Frank Rose. Meeting starts 7PM at the Gardens’ Education Classroom. Come enjoy a great talk and company. Free. Refreshments provided. An Introduction to our Sonoran Butterfly Kits. Parts of these kits may be novel to some of you volunteers. A sample kit, without caterpillars and with a hardier, water-proof cover, will be present in the front vestibule or within the flight exhibit. Please feel free to examine this kit, read the Teacher’s Guide, and show the kit to anyone who may be interested. Kits will be on sale on weekends in the Gift Shop, depending on availability of the caterpillars. Price is $20. Questions about these kits can be directed t o E l i z a b e t h W i l l o t t , butterflyexhibit@tucsonbotanical.org.

Sonoran Butterfly Kits Do you know of a teacher who would love a kit that provided caterpillars, food for the caterpillars, and much more? Either you or the teacher can contact us at butterflyexhibit@tucsonbotanical.org. The kits cost a nominal $20 to cover costs. Kits contain: 3-5 caterpillars (either Painted Ladies or Gulf Fritillaries), an information packet, two lesson plans, butterfly photographs, a butterfly model to color and one to cut out and assemble, a dried butterfly and empty chrysalis in a plastic case, some other dried empty chyrsalises, and more. (See our sample kit in the photo to the right.)

2

Blue Cross, Blue Shield Sonoran Butterfly Project

Teacher of the Year Award This year the award went to Nora (Wolf) Iragorri of Fruchtthendler Elementary School. Nora teaches first grade and does a phenomenal job. Congratulations to her!

Volunteer Opportunities As usual, some people volunteering in butterflies need to leave us and so we have openings for new volunteers. If you are interested or know of someone who might be interested, please contact us at butterflyexhibit@tucsonbotanical.org. Shifts in the flight exhibit run 9:15 AM until 12:30 PM and from 12:15 until 3:30 PM. Shift positions rotate so no one is stuck either inside or outside for too long. Feel free to recommend this to other people who may be interested. If the exhibit does not work for you, there are often other opportunities involving the butterflies. (See photo below of volunteer Ken Kingsley.)

FLYING SAGUAROS! Michael Chamberland, Director of Horticulture

Five saguaro cacti were relocated from our back lot, or “Sycamore Lot,” and placed on display within the Gardens. These cacti are the last of 31 saguaros “fostered” by the Gardens, beginning in 2001 and 2002. The saguaros came to the Gardens via the Marana Police Department and the Arizona Department of Agriculture’s ”Cactus Cop, ” Jim McGinnis. They had been confiscated and held as evidence in a case, but the Gardens had permission to use the plants for display purposes. On arrival, the saguaros ranged from six inches to five feet tall. Over time, most of the original plants were planted within the Gardens, leaving a final five. Two of these were moved with the help of Volunteers, to a new home in the Cactus Garden. They add to our display of saguaro, which had been under-represented within the Cactus Garden. They also aid in the interpretation of saguaro as part of our Wicked Plants exhibit.

The other three saguaros had grown too large to be moved by hand – bring in the crane! These three plants were dug and lifted from Sycamore Lot using a crane with a flatbed space behind the cab. The uprooted saguaros, wrapped in burlap, were each laid on the flatbed section of the crane. With all three cacti on board, the crane was driven around to the front of the Gardens, and employed to lower each saguaro into its new home at the end of the Tohono O’odham Path.

Cranes have a scale to weight objects as they are lifted. The tallest of these saguaros is twelve feet tall and weighs 1200 lbs. The two shorter cacti are each about 900 lbs. While we do not know the original size of the twelve-footer, we do know that it was no more than five to six feet tall in 2001 or 2002. It grew at least six feet in ten years, in addition to recovering from being dug and transplanted to the Gardens. These saguaros were being grown in the ground near our propagation and cold frame areas, where they sucked up water every time our nearby potted plants were watered.

The saguaros were moved with the help of Stan Hare of Cactus Grove Nursery, and our Wednesday Volunteer Work Crew, who helped dig the holes and carry the smaller saguaros across the Gardens to their new home!

Butterfly Magic Elizabeth Willott, Curator

Butterfly Magic – Asian Month We received our first shipment direct from the Tropical Entomological House in Malaysia. By the time you read this, in our exhibit we will have Clippers, Cruisers, Eggflies, Paper Kites, Tigers, Pansies, and more. London Pupae Supply has also managed to get us some relatively inexpensive Priamus Birdwings, so this year we have been graced for those throughout December and January. Some Birdwings have yet to emerge, so we can expect at least a few to be with us through February.

Continuing Butterfly Education The Southeast Arizona Butterfly Association meets Tuesday February 15. The topic is “ARIZONA TREES & THE BUTTERFLIES THAT LOVE THEM” and the speaker is Frank Rose. Meeting starts 7PM at the Gardens’ Education Classroom. Come enjoy a great talk and company. Free. Refreshments provided. An Introduction to our Sonoran Butterfly Kits. Parts of these kits may be novel to some of you volunteers. A sample kit, without caterpillars and with a hardier, water-proof cover, will be present in the front vestibule or within the flight exhibit. Please feel free to examine this kit, read the Teacher’s Guide, and show the kit to anyone who may be interested. Kits will be on sale on weekends in the Gift Shop, depending on availability of the caterpillars. Price $20. Questions about the kits can b e d i r e c t ed t o E l i zabe th Wi l l o t t , butterflyexhibit@tucsonbotanical.org

Sonoran Butterfly Kits Do you know of a teacher who would love a kit that provided caterpillars, food for the caterpillars, and much more? Either you or the teacher can contact us at butterflyexhibit@tucsonbotanical.org. The kits cost a nominal $20 to cover costs. Kits contain: 3-5 caterpillars (either Painted Ladies or Gulf Fritillaries), an information packet, two lesson plans, butterfly photographs, a butterfly model to color and one to cut out and assemble, a dried butterfly and empty chrysalis in a plastic case, some other dried empty chyrsalises, and more. (See our sample kit in the photo to the right.)

3

Blue Cross, Blue Shield Sonoran Butterfly Project Teacher of the Year Award

This year the award went to Nora (Wolf) Iragorri of Fruchtthendler Elementary School. Nora teaches first grade and does a phenomenal job. Congratulations to her!

Volunteer Opportunities As usual, some people volunteering in butterflies need to leave us and so we have openings for new volunteers. If you are interested or know of someone who might be interested, please contact us at butterflyexhibit@tucsonbotanical.org. Shifts in the flight exhibit run 9:15AM until 12:30PM and from 12:15PM until 3:30PM. Shift positions rotate so no one is stuck either inside or outside for too long. Feel free to recommend this to other people who may be interested. If the exhibit does not work for you, there are often other opportunities involving the butterflies. (See photo below of volunteer Ken Kingsley)

4

Previously, we looked at the different families of butterflies on exhibit in Butterfly Magic. This week we will revisit the Nymphalidae, the group to which most of our butterflies belong. The easiest way to break it down is by “subfamilies” which, as the name implies, are subsets of a family.

The subfamily Danainae includes the familiar Monarch and Queen butterflies, but also the Paper Kite, Idea leuconoe, Common Crow (Euploea core), Tigers (Tirumala), and even the Costa Rican Clearwing, Greta oto. Almost all butterflies that feed on milkweeds as caterpillars fall into this subfamily. Most are colored in black and orange or black and white. Be careful, though! Many other kinds of butterflies mimic the toxic-to-eat danaids. Four walking legs and a black thorax with white spots are cues to look for. Clearwings are delicate and transparent.

The African butterflies in the genus Charaxes belong to the Charaxinae. Known as “Tropical Canopy Butterflies,” the Charaxinae also includes the Latin American Archaeoprepona species and the Pointed Leafwing, Memphis eurypyle. Members of this subfamily are the muscle cars of the butterfly world: big-bodied with proportionately short, angular wings, and often one or two short, sharp “tails” on the hind wing. Look for them in out-of-the way niches in the greenhouse (ledges, hiding among foliage), or basking on the window.

Morpho and owl butterflies are sometimes lumped in the subfamily Morphinae, each in separate “tribes,” the subdivisions within a subfamily. Both are native to Central America and northern South America. Owls are often placed in a separate subfamily, the Brassolinae.

Longwing butterflies are in the subfamily Heliconiinae. The long, rounded front wings and weak, fluttery flight help to identify this group. Unfortunately, the different species can look exactly alike because of the extreme variation in markings among individuals; and the fact that some hybridize with each other. Further, there are “mimicry rings” that involve butterflies (even day-flying moths) from other families. Heliconiians are very distasteful to birds and other predators. The Gulf Fritillary (Agraulis vanillae), Julia (Dryas julia), and Bamboo Page (Philaethria dido) also belong here. Believe it or not, the “Lacewing” butterflies (Cethosia) and “The Cruiser” (Vindula arsinoe) of northern Australia and southeast Asia are also in this subfamily.

Exhibit species in the subfamily Biblidinae include the Red Rim, Royal Blue, and the Crackers. These are Central American butterflies that habitually bask with their wings open. They also often gravitate towards the walls and ceiling of the greenhouse, but look on tree trunks, too.

The subfamily Limenitidinae is difficult to characterize, but one thing I find helpful to remember is that most species named after military rank or positions of masculine royalty fall into this subfamily: The Sailor, Archduke, admirals, Clippers, the Baron….the President (ok, now I’m just making things up).

The remainder of our nymphalid butterflies falls into the subfamily Nymphalinae. This includes the Great Eggfly, Hypolimnas misippus and the Diadem butterflies (also genus Hypolimnas) which mimic members of the Danainae. Dead Leaf butterflies (Kallima), Shoemakers (Catonephele), Zebra Mosaic (Colobura dirce), Pansies and Buckeyes (Junonia), Peacocks (Anartia), and Painted Lady are all in the Nymphalinae.

(continued next page)

NYMPHALID BUTTERFLIES by Eric Eaton

NYMPHALID BUTTERFLIES (continued from previous page)

Still confused? Well, then we can blame advances in scientific classification through genetic research (DNA sequencing) and, of course, the whole mimicry thing that is supposed to be boggling, if only to potential butterfly predators. In any event, you’re in good company.

The remainder of our nymphalid butterflies falls into the subfamily Nymphalinae. This includes the Great Eggfly, Hypolimnas misippus and the Diadem butterflies (also genus Hypolimnas) which mimic members of the Danainae. Dead Leaf butterflies (Kallima), Shoemakers (Catonephele), Zebra Mosaic (Colobura dirce), Pansies and Buckeyes (Junonia), Peacocks (Anartia), and Painted Lady are all in the Nymphalinae.

5

—OPPORTUNITIES—

Seeking Sensational Seeking Sensational Seeking Sensational Seeking Sensational

Summer Speakers!Summer Speakers!Summer Speakers!Summer Speakers! “Summer in the Gardens”, our summer camps for kids, will be starting in late May with the following schedule:

May 31 – June 2 June 13 – 17

June 27 – July 1 July 18 – 22 August 1 – 5

The 5-day camps (and one 3-day) will consist of outdoor activities, crafts, reading and writing, scientific exploration, and more. We would like to have as many guest speakers as possible who can offer presentations on specific topics, preferably accompanied by some sort of hands-on activity.

If you have a particular area of interest or expertise (insects, climate, wildlife, composting, etc) and you’d like to be a special visitor to one of the camps, please contact:

Ben Collinsworth, a.k.a. Dr. Ergot Ratbane 326-9686, Ext. 31

wickedplants@tucsonbotanical.org

Good computer skills?Good computer skills?Good computer skills?Good computer skills?

A secret love for marketingA secret love for marketingA secret love for marketingA secret love for marketing?

Then this new volunteer opportunity might be just the thing for you! A volunteer is needed to help with entering all the Gardens press releases and related publicity photographs to various online sources such as the Arizona Daily Star, Zocalo magazine, the Tucson Weekly, etc.

Hours needed would vary depending on the volume of offerings in a given month. Tuesdays are the best day, either 9 to noon or 1-4PM. Frequency of the shift would vary. (Once a week, twice a month...) Of course, there may be other administrative help needed when press releases are up to date.

If interested, please email:

Darlene Kryza, Director of Marketing and

Communications at

communications@tucsonbotanical.org

— FEBRUARY CLASSES —

FROM GARDEN TO KITCHEN Saturday, February 5 9AM-Noon As more and more people reconnect to the process of growing their own food, more and more questions arise about how to create a successful garden in the harsh Tucson desert. Join acclaimed owner and lead designer, Jason Isenberg of REALM™, as he adds some modern flair to this time-honored practice. He will share his secrets for planting seasonally-appropriate crops, helping them flourish with organic methods, harvesting the fruits (and vegetables) of your labor and creating exciting, yet simple meals from your own backyard. $25, $20 members

HEIRLOOM VEGETABLES FOR TUCSON Saturday, February 12 9AM-Noon Did you know that Queen Anne’s pocket melons were carried by Victorian women in their pockets for perfume or that some varieties of Hopi corn can be planted twelve inches deep and live without irrigation? This spring bring these and other exciting stories to your garden by planting heirloom vegetables- unique kinds of crops that have been passed down over generations. Join Nate O’Meara, M.A., as he discusses the origins of heirlooms vegetables, the challenges they face today, and how home gardeners in Tucson can help save this living legacy by growing heirloom seeds. Nate is a lifelong Arizona gardener and has worked as a Tucson nurseryman, Permaculture farmer, ethnobotanist and agricultural anthropologist. He currently owns and operates Kitchen Garden Consulting in Tucson. $32, $25 members

INTRODUCTION TO NATURE PHOTOGRAPHY Saturday, February 12 Noon-3PM Join Vicky Stromee, fine art photographer, for an introduction to nature photography on Saturday, February 12th. This class will discuss basic digital camera operations: program settings vs. manual settings, formats (jpeg and RAW) and formatting, ISOs, pixels and sensors as well as basic camera techniques: lighting, composition, depth of field, shutter speed and shot selection. Then he class will head to the grounds to take our best shots! We’ll wrap up with a discussion about post-production adjustments such as cropping, color and lighting adjustments. Please note there will be a series of intermediate classes held in April to build on what you learn in this class. What to bring: • Your digital camera and camera instruction book (if you have it) • Digital media and extra batteries for your camera • Your enthusiasm and questions

$40, $32 members

About the Instructor: Vicky Stromee is an accomplished Tucson-based fine art photographer who is represented by Waxlander Gallery in Santa Fe, NM, PhotoPlace Gallery in Middlebury, VT and arts+interiors in New York City. She has a particular interest in macro photography and is a frequent visitor to The Gardens for its wealth of photographic opportunities. She has had two solo exhibitions at The Gardens. Her work hangs in private and corporate collections throughout the United States. You can view a sample of her work on her website: www.VickyStromeePhotography.com

MOSQUITOES AND HISTORY Tuesday, February 15 5-6:30PM This class introduces the fascinating history associated with people and mosquitoes. Which pope refused to sit in Rome because non-Italian popes tended to die of malaria when they went to Rome? Why did the Louisianna Purchase cost so little (relatively)? When did people first know the association between mosquitoes and malaria? When was it scientifically shown? Why did the French run into big problems when building the Panama canal? Isn’t malaria a tropical disease? How could malaria persist in the Scandinavian countries—or into Canada–aren’t the winters too harsh? These topics and more will be covered in this class. $7, Free for members

(Classes continued next page)

6

— FEBRUARY CLASSES (cont’d) —

SMART IRRIGATION STARTS WITH YOU Saturday, February 19 9AM-Noon Smart controllers automatically adjust irrigation timing and amount in response to your actual needs, but they are only as intelligent as the person programming them. Join Tary Campbell, Construction Project Manager and Water Conservation Specialist for REALM™, as he imparts useful guidelines for conducting your own simple water audits, knowing your plants and how much water they require, familiarizing yourself with your irrigation system components, and performing system maintenance. $25, $20 members PLANTING HEALTHCARE IN THE URBAN LANDSCAPE Saturday, February 26 9AM-Noon Plant Health Care (PHC) is a holistic approach to landscape management. The primary objective is to grow healthy plants to minimize the impact of pests, improve the landscape’s appearance and vitality by utilizing the most cost-effective and environmentally sensitive methods. Matt Mierzejewski, Maintenance Division Field Supervisor and Certified Arborist for REALM™, will show you how to recognize plant stress factors, demonstrate PHC techniques used by arborists and homeowners alike, and talk about pest management and PHC correlation. $25, $20 members CREATING A FOOD FOREST Saturday, February 26 Noon-3PM Imagine turning your backyard into a food and habitat producing woodland! Join Nate O’Meara, M.A. as he shows you how to create and care for a multistoried food forest adapted to our desert environment. During the class we will discuss how to select and grow plants that provide food, wildlife habitat, pollinator attraction, and soil building. Nate is a lifelong Arizona gardener and has worked as a Tucson nurseryman, Permaculture farmer, ethnobotanist and agricultural anthropologist. He currently owns and operates Kitchen Garden Consulting in Tucson. $32, $25 members

To register for classes by phone with a credit card, or for more information, call 326.9686, ext. 19.

If you have a question about a class, contact Ron Bridgemon at 326-9686, ext. 39, or email education1@tucsonbotanical.org.

7

8

2150 North Alvernon Way

Tucson, Arizona 85712