Dozens of “Bourne” cast to be released

The next time you bite into something – be it a bagel or a baked bean – take a moment to thank a butterfly.

In fact, you can take a whole day to do just that on Saturday, August 24, at the first Monarch Butterfly Day, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Museums at Aptucxet on the banks of the Cape Cod Canal in Bourne.

Monarch butterflies, with their beautiful art book-style wing patterns, are pollinators.

“Overall, pollinators are responsible for up to one in three bites of our food and help maintain our natural plant ecosystems,” says a press release from Valley Farm Community Garden in Pocasset, which is hosting the day of free family activities.

Are there monarch butterflies in Massachusetts?

The pollinators are commonly seen in Massachusetts from mid-August to early October, depending on the temperature. After that, the monarch butterflies fly south. Gardens rely on monarch butterflies and other pollinators to help crops reproduce.

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What happens on Monarch Butterfly Day in Bourne?

A highlight of the day will be the release of a dozen monarch butterflies bred by George Morse of Butterflies of Cape Cod (butterfliesofcapecod.com) in Bourne, said event co-chair Diane Speers.