Updated 7/14/26 with 2026 information & programs
Each summer along the New Hampshire Seacoast, nature enthusiasts eagerly await the arrival of the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus). With its brightly colored orange and black wings, and frequent visits to flower gardens and milkweed fields, the monarch is the most easily recognized butterfly.
Conservation of this charismatic insect brings community scientists across North America together during an annual International Monarch Monitoring Blitz, hosted by the Commission for Environmental Cooperation. During this year’s blitz, Seacoast Science Center (SSC) will be celebrating monarchs with butterfly programs for visitors (July 31st–August 9th), including a 1.5 hour exploration and hunt for monarch eggs and caterpillars. Participants will act as citizen scientists to help gather and report observations of monarchs and milkweed; the host plant where monarchs lay eggs and caterpillars feed. In addition to contributing valuable data to support ongoing monarch research, visitors will also learn about butterfly lifecycles and explore the habitats that support them within Odiorne Point State Park.
Monarch butterfly numbers are steadily declining and they are considered an endangered species. Threats to the monarch include habitat loss, climate change, and pesticides that harm the milkweed population (source: Nature Conservancy). Monarch butterflies are key pollinators and essential to the health of our planet. Tracking their migration patterns and population will provide valuable information that will help us understand and preserve this species.
Upcoming Visitor Programs
SSC’s programs will align with the International Monarch Monitoring Blitz. Between July 31st and August 9th, SSC will offer several brief visitor programs. These sessions are free with admission to the Center and will educate participants about monarch butterfly migration and how to identify different stages of their lifecycle–from egg to adult. The free visitor programs are 20-30 minutes in length and will take place on:
- Saturday, August 1st at 11 am
- Wednesday, August 5th at 11 am
- Thursday, August 6th at 11 am
- Stay tuned for additional dates
Extended Educational Opportunity
These shorter visitor programs will lead up to two extended Guided Nature Program titled Butterflies! on Saturday, August 8th and Tuesday, August 18th (ticket button below or click here). In this educational session, you’ll explore the fascinating world of the monarch butterfly, learning about their lifecycle, nesting habits, and annual migration. You’ll also discover how to identify milkweed, eggs, larvae, chrysalis, and adult monarchs. SSC’s naturalist will discuss data documentation, including photographs, which will be shared for this year’s monitoring project.
Through these program, SSC is hoping to inspire our visitors to become citizen scientists in their own backyards, by sharing what they’ve learned, documenting information in their yards and neighborhoods, or planting a pollinator garden.
Plan your visit online and join one of these engaging programs! Note: Pre-registration in not required for free visitor programs, you can sign up at SSC. Tickets are required for extended, guided nature program and can be purchased online or at SSC. Space is limited and subject to availability. Tickets to Butterflies! Nature Programs include admission to the Center.
