Our walk will take a cue from the western tiger swallowtail, San Francisco's largest butterfly. This fantastic creature has taken up residence along Market Street and in the parks and plazas nearby. The western tiger, like other swallowtails, has made Market Street an unexpected habitat! The lay of the land mimics the butterfly's natural environment: a river canyon lined with deciduous, hardwood trees. What knocks the story into the stratosphere is that the trees planted on Market Street–from the Ferry Building to the Castro–in the 1970's, are the same trees this butterfly needs to continue its life cycle. Males patrol the trees looking for mates, and females lay their eggs up in the high canopy. Join lepidopterists Amber Hasselbring and Liam O'Brien on this tour of nature in San Francisco's downtown.
Requirements
Please bring walking shoes, water, and lunch. We will be stopping around noon in Sue Bierman Park to sit amongst the swallowtails. The tour will begin at Justin Herman Plaza and end at Yerba Buena Park. Please call 415-786-4957 with questions.
