FRIENDS OF HIGH SCHOOL PARK
Nature in the News
Resources and Education
Rebecca Schultz, Local Artist, in the News
Rebecca Schultz a local artist and a friend of Friends of High School Park examines the relationships between humans and the ecosystems with community-based projects. Check out this great write-up about Rebecca's Mapping Our Watershed project:...
Artist Talk and Botanical Drawing Workshop
Artist Talk and Botanical Drawing Workshop May 29, 2025, 5:30-8pm - All slots are filled! See you tonight! Meet at the shed. Join artists Diane Ehrich and Rebecca Schultz with FHSP Restoration Manager Cynthia Blackwood for an evening “reveal” of the new native plant...
Meeting With a Mushrooming Mind, with Kevin Popowich
January 23, 2025, 7:00-8:30pm at Glenside Hall (185 S Keswick Ave, Glenside, PA 19038) Title: Meeting With a Mushrooming Mind: An Intro to the Fascinating World of Fungi Join us as we explore the fascinating world of fungi! Kevin Popowich of the Philadelphia Mycology...
July : The Fiery Skipper Moth
To celebrate National Moth-Week, July 21-26th, we bring you July’s pollinator: the Fiery Skipper moth (Hylephila phyleus).This is a common species belonging to the skipper family (Hesperiidae) found across much of North and South America. Known for its rapid, darting...
June is the month of the Monarch Butterfly
Monarch Butterfly, Danaus plexippus and Milkweed, Asclepias spp. Our pollinator blog posts seek to highlight the amazing qualities – “super powers”- of the tiny creatures that support life on Earth. The Monarch butterfly’s super power is its amazing 2,500+ mile...
May is the month of Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) & Tall phlox or garden phlox, (Phlox paniculata)
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) with its favorite Tall phlox or garden phlox, (Phlox paniculata) Cover photo by Tammra Banner, an EP resident and FHSP Board member Fun facts: Eastern Tiger Swallowtail caterpillars at first look like...
April, the month of the Ruby Throated Hummingbird & Red Cardinal Flower
Great duos like Batman and Robin work well together, but let’s not forget the duo of the ruby throated hummingbird and the red cardinal flower, Lobelia cardinalis. The pair have a mutualistic relationship to benefit their survival. The ruby throated hummingbird...
March, the month of the pollinator that doesn’t fly!
Ants, (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) a quiet pollinator with many roles. Pollination by an ant is called myrmecophily, while seed dispersal by ants is called myrmecochory. Is the ant’s journey one of an unaware “pollinator” who gathers and deposits pollen as she wanders...
February is the month of The Evening Primrose and the Primrose Moth
This month’s pollinator is the Primrose Moth, Schinia florida. This is a moth that would not induce screams or cries for help if it were to fly into the house; it would be welcomed because of its beautiful, unique pink, yellow, and white coloring; it would match...
January: Hoverflies and Yarrow
Hoverflies (also called flowerflies or syrphidflies) The cover photo is of a Toxomerus marginatus, or Margined Calligrapher taken by Elkins Park resident and FHSP Board member, Bennett Povlow. It is a common species throughout North America. Fun facts: Hoverflies...
December: The Red Admiral Butterfly
THE YEAR OF THE POLLINATOR: THE MONTH OF DECEMBER December features the Red Admiral butterfly (Vanessa atalanta) and its favorite flower Echinacea (echinacea purpurea) Birds and insects are pollinators; more than 80 percent of land plants are pollinated by animals...
November : “Bumble Bees & Goldenrod”
This month we highlight our native bumble bees and goldenrod. Goldenrod is just one of the native flowers that bumble bees visit. Since it is a late summer blooming plant, it allows these pollinators to forage well into autumn when other flowers have stopped...