Did you know that butterflies are actually MOTHS? Yes, butterflies are only 10% of the order Lepidoptera, and 90% are moths! Yet most people know very little about them. Be prepared to be surprised and captivated by what you learn about moths during this program, which is all about moths and their contributions to our way of life. We will give you many interesting facts about moths and clear reasons why we should do what we can to stop their decline. Our program will help you understand what we can do to support them.

About the Presenters

Patti Schildkamp has been a Penn State Master Gardener since the spring of 2016 and a Pennsylvania Master Naturalist since 2021. She certified her landscape as a Penn State Pollinator-Friendly Garden; an Audubon Society of Western PA Backyard Habitat (Hero Status); and a Monarch Watch Waystation. She is also an independent member of the Westmoreland Pollinator Partners. She is still continuously learning about plants and insects, especially native plants that attract pollinators and the importance of all beneficial insects to improve our ecosystem.

Deb Christopher has been a Penn State Master Gardener for seven years. In that time she has served as program advisory chairman, Garden Hotline leader, For the Young at Heart (FYAH) program leader, speaker, writer and demo garden worker. She is a core committee member for the Westmoreland Pollinator Partners, a coalition of pollinator-friendly gardens in Westmoreland County. She is an active member of the Weeders and Seeders Garden Club and is chairman of the Sustainability Committee. Deb’s home landscape is certified as a Penn State Pollinator-Friendly Garden, a Monarch Waystation and a National Wildlife Federation backyard habitat. She supports the PA Bluebird Society as a Bluebird nesting box monitor at the Loyalhanna Watershed.

Plan Your Visit

This program will be held in the Museum classroom at West Overton Village. Accessing the classroom requires stairs and we are currently fundraising for an elevator. Please register for the program in advance.

About this Program

This educational program is part of our Restoring Native Plants and Historic Gardens initiative.

Restoring Native Plants and Historic Gardens at West Overton Village and Museum was financed in part by a grant from the Community Conservation Partnerships Program Environmental Stewardship Fund under the administration of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Recreation and Conservation administered through the Pennsylvania Environmental Council’s Laurel Highlands Mini Grant Program.