Monarchs pass through Maryland each year on a breathtaking migration, but their numbers have plummeted nearly 80%. With milkweed disappearing and pesticides poisoning their habitat, these iconic butterflies face extinction. Monarchs lay eggs only on milkweed — without it, they could be gone within a few years. SPONSOR NOW

Native bees are vanishing fast due to pesticides, mowed lawns, and disease. They pollinate over 80% of flowering plants and 1 in 3 bites of food we eat depends on them. “Bee hotels” offer critical refuge. Middletown is proud to be a certified Bee City! SPONSOR NOW

Once nearly vanished, bluebirds have rebounded with help—but face ongoing threats from invasive competitors and declining open habitats. Their cheerful songs mark healthy skies and vibrant insect populations. SPONSOR NOW

Maryland’s smallest falcon is an aerial acrobat — hovering like a helicopter and diving with precision. American Kestrels feed on insects and mice, playing a vital role in ecosystem balance. But with disappearing fields and nesting sites, their numbers have dropped nearly 50%. Installing nest boxes in open areas can help them recover. SPONSOR NOW

Under Middletown’s moonlit skies, bats devour up to 1,000 mosquitos an hour, providing natural pest control. But with roost sites like snags (dead trees) disappearing and white-nose syndrome spreading, their populations have dropped 90%. Bat houses and preserved snags can help them recover. SPONSOR NOW

With a heart-shaped face and soundless flight, barn owls are the silent stewards of the night. They can eat up to 3,000 rodents per year. But in Maryland, their population has dropped by 72%. As farms, open fields, and old barns disappear, so do they. SPONSOR NOW

Never landing, always soaring — chimney swifts are aerial marvels. They originally roosted in hollow dead trees (snags), but as those disappeared, they adapted to live inside chimneys. Now, with chimney caps blocking their access and loss of old trees, they need chimney swift towers to survive. SPONSOR NOW