The Coaster

By JOANNE L. PAPAIANNI

The greenhouse in Bradley Beach may soon be home to “thousands and thousands” of butterflies, if officials agree to a proposal by butterfly expert and hobbyist Una McGurk.

At Tuesday’s meeting Mayor Stephen Schueler said McGurk, who lives in town, contacted him about a proposal to use the greenhouse to store milkweed, the only plant where Monarch butterflies lay their eggs.

McGurk, who has been actively breeding and exhibiting Monarch butterflies for several years, said Wednesday she would like to design a program through the borough’s recreation program for summer campers.

“I would like to develop it into a summer camp at the rec center so the kids can have a hand in rearing them,” said McGurk.

After the eggs are harvested and go through their natural life cycle, caterpillar to chrysalis, the adult butterflies would be released to return to their natural winter habitat in Mexico.

McGurk said butterflies have always been a part of her “history,” but after 9/11, her life changed and she now believes her passion for Monarch’s has become a “symbiotic” relationship.

During the winter of 2001/2002 a “phenomenal” ice storm destroyed 80 percent of the Monarch butterfly eggs in Mexico, an environmental loss that she believes her program can help ease.

McGurk explained that even without natural disasters like the one in Mexico, only 98 percent of Monarch butterfly eggs survive their natural predators.

“They have a 98 percent mortality rate,” she said.

She explained that overdevelopment, logging and genetically engineered food have caused a decline in the Monarch butterfly population.

Last summer McGurk set up a netted display of milkweed and butterfly eggs in the window of Lavendar Moon, a store owned by her friend in Belmar. She said she harvested hundreds of eggs with only a 2 percent mortality rate, resulting in over 700 caterpillars.

That’s what gave her the idea for starting the program at the greenhouse in Bradley Beach.

McGurk also volunteers at the Monarch exhibit in New York City at the Museum of Natural History.

She traveled to Florida in early November to attend a butterfly breeders convention, where she increased her knowledge and visited the only domestic breeding house for Monarchs in the country in Coconut Creek.

McGurk travels with her butterflies presenting exhibits, including several in Asbury Park this past summer.

At the Clearwater festival in August she allowed people to enter her screened tent to look at the butterflies before releasing them.

“The kids loved it, the adults loved it,” she said.

Schueler said he and the council would discuss the issue further.

Pat D’Angelo, who attended the meeting asked, “Are we going to become the butterfly capital of the world?”

Council also discussed at length, an amended ordinance regarding trash pick up in the borough.

Council and public works will review the ordinace regarding setting a time table for brush pick up.

Biaggio Cafone, assistant director of Public Works, suggested holding brush pick up once per month for six months of the year.

He also said a dumpster should be made available at the public works yard on the weekends for four hours each day for residents to bring brush and leaves.

Cafone said the borough would have to hire someone to oversee the site while open.

Public hearing on the ordinance is Feb. 27.

Council awarded a contract for the beach front bathrooms to Santorini Construction, the lowest bidder at $269,000.

Borough Administrator Phyllis Quixley said she was expecting bids to be more in the range of $235,000, but Santorini came in the lowest.

Construction on the Carmen Biase Senior Center is underway with new plumbing and electric being installed.

“It looks like hell on the outside, but inside there is a tremendous amount of work it’s coming along,” said the mayor.

Council President Lori Marchak-Ortiz asked for volunteers to help plant the 5,000 summer flower plugs being delivered soon to the greenhouse.

Contact information: joanne@thecoaster.net.

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