Date/Time
Date(s) - 06/13/2026
10:00 am - 3:00 pm
Location
Necedah National Wildlife Refuge
Categories
4th Annual Birds, Bees, & Butterflies
Free Event
We’re excited to share this year’s line-up of speakers and booths for the 4th annual BBB Event. Things begin at 10 am with plenty of time to start exploring the many displays by expert naturalists before our first speakers at 11.
Vendors will also be ready for you to examine their wares that include items related to birds, bees, and butterflies, and the plants that both support and are benefited by them.
Our artist of the month for June is Jessie Fritsch of Buzz in Art Studios. Her work will be hung in the fireplace room for the entire month. She will be on hand to talk with visitors about her beeswax paintings. Weather permitting, she will do periodic demonstrations behind the visitor center throughout the day. https://buzzinartstudios.com/
Junior naturalist Phoenix Von Ruden will share his extensive expertise on birds at a demonstration table out back. He has wowed both youth and adult visitors with his enthusiasm and knowledge at past events. Make sure to stop by his display.
Details about other display & information booths will be shared closer to the event.
The Friends bake sale and brat fry will start at 10 am and go while supplies last. Friends members are welcome to contribute baked goods on the day of the event. Our brats were purchased at WI River Meats and are delicious! There will be hot dogs, chips, and beverages available as well.
11 am – Hummingbird experts Michael and Kathi Rock will present about hummingbirds and hummingbird gardening in the Visitor Center Classroom. They have presented around the state and at the Alliant Energy Gardening Expo in Madison. Seating is limited to 60, so we encourage reserving your spot. After their presentation, they will be available at a display table behind the Visitor Center for questions and more information. Check out their website at www.hummingbirdgardening.net
1 pm – Necedah NWR biologist Angie Dedrickson will present: Karner Blue Butterflies of Necedah. The refuge is home to the largest population of these endangered butterflies in the world. After her talk, join Angie for a hike to an area of prairie not far from the visitor center to look for them and the lupine plants that support them.
Many activities will be geared towards children during the event. There will be craft tables and a puppet show that will be performed throughout the day. There will also be a scheduled hike to help earn your Whooper Wander Trail Challenge.
We hope that you can join us for this wonderful event. Invite friends and family and share the word in any way that you can. We will have posters available by March 1. Stop by the visitor center if you would like to hang one in your community.