Join Kennebec Estuary Land Trust for a free evening zoom lecture on Thursday, Feb. 9 at 6 p.m. to learn about the beautiful and unique dragonflies and damselflies that make Maine their home. KELT is very excited to host Dr. Ron Butler, professor emeritus at UMaine Farmington, who is an expert on Maine’s dragonflies and damselflies. What better way to spend a cold winter night than with warm thoughts of the dazzling insects that swoop through the air on sultry summer days?

There are 161 species of dragonflies and damselflies that have been documented in the state! Learn about the characteristics, life cycle, species in Maine, population changes over time, nifty facts, and ways to support these acrobatic insects. Participants are welcomed and encouraged to ask questions during the Q&A portion of the lecture. Registration is free and required in order to receive the Zoom link for the presentation. For more information and to sign-up, visit KELT’s website at www.kennebecestuary.org/upcoming-events or call (207) 442-8400.

Teaching for 35 years in UMaine Farmington’s Division of Natural Resources, Dr. Ron Butler has been a leader of three major efforts that rallied community volunteers to gather information about Maine insects - the Maine Damselfly and Dragonfly Survey (1999-2005), the Maine Butterfly Survey (2006-2015), and the Maine Bumble Bee Atlas (2015-2019). He just finished a book on the butterflies of Maine and the Canadian Maritimes and is now working on a similar book on damselflies and dragonflies of the region.