Staten Island, Dragonflies and Butterflies

Date: Saturday, August 2, 2025

Leader: Seth Wollney
Carpool Trip: Drivers willing to provide rides are encouraged to attend. The Registrar will work with participants without a vehicle to organize rides and share the suggested carpool fee for the driver. This usually works out, but we can not guarentee a ride unless there are enough enough volunteer drivers.
Meeting Point: After your registration is confirmed, the Registrar will share directions, the exact meeting place, and time with attendees.
Schedule: Afternoon walk.
Relative Difficulty: This will be a relatively short walk on paved or gravel paths.

Trip Description: Staten Island’s Brookfield Park, a former municipal solid waste facility site, has been transformed into a tranquil mid-island gem. Following extensive remediation, over 17,000 trees and 76,000 plants were planted, leading to the park’s opening in 2017. This green oasis now attracts migratory birds and butterflies, offering a serene and safe environment for leisurely walks. Four marked trails and a mile of unmarked trails leading to Richmond Creek provide excellent hiking opportunities. We will explore the park’s diverse landscapes, including ponds, rivers, wetlands, marshes, and meadows. The walk will primarily focus on insects, including butterflies, dragonflies, and damselflies, but we’ll also have the chance to spot some interesting birds.

This leisurely walk is designed for your comfort and enjoyment. We’ll primarily traverse flat, wide, paved roads with only small sections of gravel paths. Our journey will be punctuated with frequent stops to observe butterflies and other pollinators at nectar-producing plants. Feel free to bring a camera or binoculars if you like, and don’t forget to wear appropriate clothing for protection against the sun and insects.

Please read The Linnaean Society of New York COVID-19 Field Trip Guidelines before registering.

Registration: Registration opens at 9 am on Monday, July 21. After that time, click here to register. Registration closes at 6 pm on Wednesday, July 30. Members (and those who have applied for membership) will be prioritized over non-members.

Please read the About Our Trips page, if you’re going on a field trip for the first time. It details our field trip policies, recommends what to bring on a trip, and offers other useful information, pro tips, and tricks.

If after visiting the About Our Trips page, you still have questions, feel free to contact the Registrar via email.