Ellen Federico
THE BUTTERFLY LADY
Ellen Federico is a writer and Monarch Butterfly Specialist teaching children and young adults about conservation and habitat planting. Ellen hosts summer programs on Fire Island, New York, and is available for schools and park workshops.
The eldest of eight siblings, Ellen grew up in Lonelyville, Fire Island, in a cedar-shingled cottage where she resides today. Her father, Captain Bob Federico, a retired Naval Officer, operated his sight-seeing and private party boat business along the island’s shores. Ellen’s mother, Catherine Federico, kept everything afloat and on course while raising a large family crew.
Captain Bob taught his children all about the wildlife on Fire Island and how to judge the weather by reading the changing signs in the sky, sea tides, and animal behavior. Catherine taught her children how to sow seeds and nurture a garden with expectant hope.
“When I was a child, thousands of monarchs would fly over our heads every autumn to some unknown destination. Fire Island was a super flyway! But it wasn’t until 1976 when my father showed us a National Geographic Magazine with the breaking news that Dr. Fred Urquhart had discovered the winter home of the migrating monarchs in the Michoacán Mountains of Mexico. I knew one day I would go there.”
Ellen lived in Manhattan for several decades, where she managed a corporate event and meeting planning firm, yet always returned to the little house in Lonelyville to visit her family. Sadly, every year the monarch migration flutters were decreasing in number. At the same time, Captain Bob’s health was failing, and he passed away in 2010.
As a tribute to her father, Ellen, with the help of some local children, planted a monarch habitat garden with native milkweed and nectar plants. The first year was slow growing but, the second year produced a flourishing habitat for adult monarchs and hungry caterpillars. The Lonelyville Habitat was registered, and they joined the Monarch Watch Tagging Program.
A few months later, Super Storm Sandy washed away the entire habitat on October 29, 2012. When everything seemed hopeless, the children of Lonelyville encouraged Ellen to plant again. And together, they did. It took three years for the monarchs to return.
Today, the habitat is lush and healthy. In addition, many Fire Island residents have planted habitats in their yards and deck pots.
In February 2017, forty-one years after reading Dr. Urquhart’s discovery, Ellen wore Captain Bob’s watch and took flight for Mexico to see the monarch’s winter home. Since then, Ellen has dedicated herself to educating Citizen Scientists about monarch butterfly conservation.
When the shadow of a butterfly crosses our path, we look up and our spirits lift. Why would we not protect the extraordinary migration of the Monarch Butterfly? If seeds contain genetic information to produce new plants, so do our children.
"An educated flutter can heal the world."
