Course Registration
ADV - CE - Spring Butterfly Field Day, Grantsburg, Wisconsin
CE - Spring Butterfly Field Day, Grantsburg, Wisconsin website
102 E Crex AveGrantsburg, WI 54840
Join us for a full-day exploration of native butterflies and their remarkable relationships with host plants in the diverse landscapes of Burnett County, Wisconsin.
Join Dean C. Hansen, a PhD in entomology for a unique field trip to observe early-season butterflies like duskywing skippers (Erynnis) and elfins (Callophrys). We will also search for species that overwinter as adults like Mourning Cloaks. Our route will take us through a variety of high-quality habitats, including Crex Meadows Wildlife Area, known for its mosaic of wetlands, barrens, and uplands, a scenic black spruce–cranberry bog just north of the Namekagon River and the Namekagon Barrens Wildlife Area near the county’s northeast corner. Our focus will not only be on identification, but also on understanding habitat, phenology, and plant associations.
Whether you are an experienced lepidopterist or a curious beginner, this trip offers a wonderful opportunity to deepen your appreciation for native butterflies with fellow naturalists.
Limited carpooling (Up to 10 people) will be made available from Bunker Hills Recreational Center in Andover and also once at meeting point (Carex Visitor center). More carpooling information will be sent out closer to the event date.
Tentative Agenda
9:00 AM – Meet & Orientation at Crex Meadows Wildlife Area Visitor Center
Introduction to the day’s goals, target species, habitats, and safety considerations.
9:30 AM – Crex Meadows Wildlife Area
Multiple stops across prairie, wetland edges, and barrens habitats.
12:30 PM – Lunch Break (Bring your own lunch)
1:30 PM – Black Spruce/Cranberry Bog (North of Namekagon River)
Specialized habitat stop highlighting bog-associated species and plant communities.
3:30 PM – Namekagon Barrens Wildlife Area
Late-afternoon search for barrens specialists. Please note: there are no structured bathrooms near this site. Participants may need to follow backcountry disposal procedures.
4:30 PM – Wrap-Up & Departure
What to Bring:
- Lunch and water (2 Liters)
- Weather-appropriate clothing and sturdy footwear (expect uneven ground)
- Hat and sunglasses
- Binoculars and camera
- Consider buying a set of "close focusing" binoculars. An excellent set is the Pentax 6.5X21 Papilio III WR binoculars. The 8.5X21 version, while more powerful, is also more difficult to use. Both will be available on-site to try.
- Field guides (optional)
Registration fees cover carpooling van, snacks, coffee and helps to sustain our programming. We look forward to a full day immersed in the spring flight season of Wisconsin’s butterflies!
For Registration questions contact Extension Registration, ext-reg@umn.edu
For Username or Password help contact UMN Help Desk, HELP@umn.edu, 612-301-4357.
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The course cost is $15 and includes course manuals and supplies.
Course Dates:
Meeting from 9:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. on:
- Saturday, May 9, 2026
Instructor Information
Kacey is an Extension Educator with Minnesota Master Naturalist. Originally from the Chicago area, she began her Naturalist path in 2007 as a teen wildlife rehabilitation and animal rescue volunteer. From there, she pursued degrees in Wildlife Ecology and Biology at UW-Stevens Point. She has worked as an environmental educator at the Forest Preserve Districts of DuPage and Lake counties in Chicagoland, the Saint Louis Zoo, and Brookfield Zoo. She has also volunteered at museums, including the Milwaukee Public Museum and the Field Museum in Chicago. After receiving her Master's in Biological Teaching from Miami University in Ohio, she transitioned to program and curriculum management at Riveredge Nature Center in Saukville, WI, and at Evanston Ecology Center. With 10 years of experience in program coordination and over 15 years in the environmental field, Kacey is passionate about connecting people to the natural world around them. She particularly likes the less-loved taxa such as amphibians and reptiles, fungi, and non-dino fossils.
Sponsor Information
Minnesota Master Naturalist
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