Contributed

For the fourth year running, Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens will host educator and nature photographer Samuel Jaffe and The Caterpillar Lab, Aug. 19-27 (with a break on Monday, Aug. 23). This exhibit will highlight the diversity and ingenuity of some of New England’s most unusual caterpillars.  

“We really love the work Sam Jaffe and The Lab do—it aligns with our mission, and it’s such an unforgettable experience for anyone of any age, from young children to seasoned biologists,” Daniel Ungier of Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens said.

A nonprofit learning facility, The Caterpillar Lab is a functioning caterpillar-rearing, researching, photographing, filming and educating facility. 

This year, a Caterpillar Walk will also be on offer on select days, from 4-5 p.m. Participants can join Jaffe on a search of the gardens for native caterpillars and other insects, discovering how these creatures live in the wild. Jaffe will outline how The Lab finds its caterpillars, discuss host plants and parasitoids, and share caterpillar-finding secrets from one of the foremost caterpillar hunters in the world.

The Caterpillar Lab’s in-residence exhibit is a casual drop-in experience. This exhibit is free with admission.

At nearly 325 acres, Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens is the largest public garden in New England. Voted #1 on TripAdvisor, the nationally recognized public garden is located in Boothbay. The mission of the Gardens is to inspire meaningful connections among people, plants, and nature through horticulture, education, and research.

Visit MaineGardens.org for more information.