NATIONAL PARK, N.J. – Visitors to the Butterfly Festival at Red Bank Battlefield Park this Saturday, July 13th, will have a unique opportunity to see the rare White Monarch Butterfly here.
“Most people will not see a White Monarch in their lifetime. We hope our residents will stop into the butterfly garden to catch a glimpse of the rare white Monarch, participate in the activities planned for the day and enjoy the waterfront scenery,” Freeholder Jim Lavender, liaison to the Gloucester County Department of Parks and Recreation, said in a press release.
A white monarch is grayish white in all areas of the wings that are normally orange. It is caused by a recessive gene that, for some reason, gets switched on. Researchers do not know what causes this phenomenon, as it is extremely rare. White Monarchs make up less than one percent of all Monarch Butterflies, with only a few being reported each year.
“In preparation for this event, the Gloucester County Master Gardeners purchased and placed Monarch chrysalises in the butterfly house for the season, and, to everyone’s surprise, learned that one of the Monarch chrysalises happened to be an extremely rare white Monarch,” Freeholder Director Robert M. Damminger said.
The Butterfly Festival is hosted by the Gloucester County Master Gardeners. The free event is open to the public. Free gardening seminars will also be held along with a Butterfly & Bug Parade and a photography contest open to amateur photographers.
For more information about the upcoming Butterfly Festival and activities planned for the day, please contact the Gloucester County Certified Gardeners at 856-307–6456, or on Facebook @whitallhouse.
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