We have two nifty, free, family-friendly nature events at DeKorte Park in the next 10 days.

First up is Moth Night, next Monday from 8:30 to 11 p.m. The amazing folks from National Moth week will be here to give a short talk about moths and set up their big lights to attract the local night-flyers.  A couple of posts about last year’s first-ever Moth Night are here and here.

Next up is our fourth annual Butterfly Day, on Sunday, July 28, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. It features short butterfly walks, displays and a scavenger hunt for kids (the kids do the scavenging), talks about the butterflies of DeKorte, hourly door prizes and a butterfly costume contest for kids 12 and under. All with the help from the folks at Bergen County Audubon Society and the North Jersey chapter of the North American Butterfly Association. Posts about previous Butterfly Days are here and here.

Listings for Moth Night and Butterfly Day follow.

Monday, July 22, 8:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Bonus Event: Moth Night, DeKorte Park FREE
Learn all about moths — those amazing cousins of butterflies — at the Meadowlands’ second annual Moth Night. We’ll be hosting the folks from National Moth Week, who’ll present a short talk on moths and why they are so awesome yet misunderstood. Then we’ll check out the NMW’s industrial-strength Mercury vapor lamps and white sheets to identify and admire the various species. We’ll also try “sugaring” to attract moths as well. The goal of the event – part of National Moth week — is to raise awareness of these seldom seen insects and to celebrate biodiversity. This free family-friendly event is sponsored by the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission and Bergen County Audubon Society. Check meadowblog.net for last-minute weather updates. To rsvp, contact Don Torino of the BCAS at greatauk4@aol.com or 201-230-4983. (Rain date: Tuesday, July 23)

Sunday, July 28, 10 a.m.
Fourth Annual Butterfly Day FREE
The Meadowlands Commission is hosting this free one-day butterfly fest at DeKorte Park in Lyndhurst. In addition to butterfly walks for the whole family, there’ll be brief introductory slide shows on the Butterflies of DeKorte Park, tables with loads of information on butterfly identification, binoculars and gardening to attract butterflies – plus contests and great door prizes. Butterfly Day is run by the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission and the Bergen County Audubon Society, with a huge assist from the Northern New Jersey Chapter of the North American Butterfly Association. To rsvp, contact Don Torino of the BCAS at greatauk4@aol.com or 201-230-4983. (Rain Date, Sunday, Aug. 4)