Berkshire Green Drinks: "A Tale of Two Rare Butterflies" with Jessica Duffy

Join Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT) online or in person for the March 2025 Berkshire Green Drinks event, where Jessica Duffy will discuss two rare butterfly species found in the Berkshires: the Veined White (Pieris napi oleracea) and the West Virginia White (Pieris virginiensis).

Jessica will review the natural history of the two butterfly species, discussing how they are rare and the plants they depend on, particularly during spring migratory flights. Jessica will also discuss the pressures the Veined White and West Virginia White butterflies face due to two species of Braconid parasitoid wasps that were initially released to help combat the invasive Cabbage Butterfly (Pieris rapae).

Additionally, Jessica will talk about the threat invasive garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) poses to the West Virginia White population by crowding out its native spring host plant and potentially acting as an "egg sink,” hindering the larvae's ability to develop when the butterfly lays its eggs on it.

This is a free HYBRID event, taking place in person and online via Zoom. The in-person gathering begins around 5:15 PM at Hot Plate Brewing Co. in Pittsfield, MA. The presentation and Zoom meeting will start at 6:00 PM. Registration is required to receive the Zoom meeting info. to register for online participation.

Thank you to Hot Plate Brewing Co. for co-sponsoring this month's Berkshire Green Drinks event!

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ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Jessica Duffy is currently working as a medical coder in the Berkshires. She has her Master's degree in Entomology from UMass-Amherst, where her thesis focused on the Veined White and the West Virginia White butterflies—specifically on threats they face from the two parasitoids mentioned above. After graduating, Jessica worked with the U.S. Forest Service in Mississippi (The Southern Hardwoods Lab in Stoneville) before working as an Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA) Officer at Logan Airport in Boston. She lived in Boston for about 20 years before the pandemic hit, which created a window of opportunity that brought Jessica and her family to the Berkshires.

What is Berkshire Green Drinks? Berkshire Green Drinks is an informal gathering on the second Wednesday of the month. A guest speaker talks for about 30 minutes beginning at 6 PM, and the presentation is followed by a discussion and Q&A. These nights are free and open to everyone with any environmental interest. The drinks aren’t green but the conversations are. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to join and bring along questions!

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These free educational events are organized by Berkshire Environmental Action Team. BEAT is a 501(c)(3) non-profit located in Pittsfield, MA. They work with the community to protect the environment for wildlife in support of the natural world that sustains us all. To learn more about BEAT, visit their website at, or contact them at [email protected], (413) 464-9402.

Consider supporting BEAT's work and free programs like this one by or purchasing a !

Host or Publisher Jane Winn at Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT)