Photos: Monarch Fest at Indian Creek Nature Center

The Cedar Rapids nature center hosted the event Saturday to raise awareness for the pollinators and for increasing pollinator habitat

Jim Slosiarek

Jul. 16, 2023 10:33 am

Monserrat Escobar of Cedar Rapids, flies around with her daughter Miranda Sanchez, 2, using monarch wings during Monarch Fest at Indian Creek Nature Center in southeast Cedar Rapids on Saturday. The festival raises awareness for the pollinators and for increasing pollinator habitat. Festival attendees could make pollinator seed balls that RAGBRAI riders will disperse in ditches along the route, watch the release of 150-200 monarch butterflies as well as take a caterpillar home through the Caterpillar Adoption program. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Augie Bergstrom research manager at the Monarch Research Project helps children release about 150-200 monarch butterflies during Monarch Fest at Indian Creek Nature Center in southeast Cedar Rapids on Saturday. The festival raises awareness for the pollinators and for increasing pollinator habitat. Festival attendees could make pollinator seed balls that RAGBRAI riders will disperse in ditches along the route, watch the release of 150-200 monarch butterflies as well as take a caterpillar home through the Caterpillar Adoption program. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Monarch butterflies flitter in an enclosure before being released during Monarch Fest at Indian Creek Nature Center in southeast Cedar Rapids on Saturday. The festival raises awareness for the pollinators and for increasing pollinator habitat. Festival attendees could make pollinator seed balls that RAGBRAI riders will disperse in ditches along the route, watch the release of 150-200 monarch butterflies as well as take a caterpillar home through the Caterpillar Adoption program. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

A monarch butterfly forages on a prairie blazing star in a hoop house garden during Monarch Fest at Indian Creek Nature Center in southeast Cedar Rapids on Saturday. The festival raises awareness for the pollinators and for increasing pollinator habitat. Festival attendees could make pollinator seed balls that RAGBRAI riders will disperse in ditches along the route, watch the release of 150-200 monarch butterflies as well as take a caterpillar home through the Caterpillar Adoption program. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Five-year-old Koda Schulte (right) of Amana adds milkweed seeds to a clay ball as he and his twin sister Veda make milkweed seed balls during Monarch Fest at Indian Creek Nature Center in southeast Cedar Rapids on Saturday. The seed balls will be dispersed in ditches along the bicycle route during RAGBRAI. Attendees also learned about the pollinators and ways to increase pollinator habitat. Festival attendees also could watch the release of 150-200 monarch butterflies as well as take a caterpillar home through the Caterpillar Adoption program. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Shay Storey, 2, of Iowa City claps as she sits on her mother Jace's shoulders during Monarch Fest at Indian Creek Nature Center in southeast Cedar Rapids on Saturday. The festival raises awareness for the pollinators and for increasing pollinator habitat. Festival attendees could make pollinator seed balls that RAGBRAI riders will disperse in ditches along the route, watch the release of 150-200 monarch butterflies as well as take a caterpillar home through the Caterpillar Adoption program. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

A monarchs caterpillar eats a milkweed leaf in a hoop house garden during Monarch Fest at Indian Creek Nature Center in southeast Cedar Rapids on Saturday. The festival raises awareness for the pollinators and for increasing pollinator habitat. Festival attendees could make pollinator seed balls that RAGBRAI riders will disperse in ditches along the route, watch the release of 150-200 monarch butterflies as well as take a caterpillar home through the Caterpillar Adoption program. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)