There are twenty-four public mothing events in eight US states today. Check out the map to find an event near you.
Victoria is hosting a public event in San Francisco, California: “This is an urban mothing site – it will be interesting to see what you get in the city vs in the wild. The site is on a very steep slope in San Francisco, so it’s not universally accessible. Please email if you are interested in joining this public moth event.”
Michael is taking mtoh’ers for night hike in Delaware: “Wear comfortable shoes and venture into the woods during this hour-long night time hike. Learn about nocturnal animals and insects and why they rely on the moon to survive.”
Deb, in Londonberry, New Hampshire is inviting residents to observe moths at the “Londonderry Town Common.8:30 Pm until midnight or longer if interest dictates. Bring flashlights and cameras and enjoy an opportunity to learn about these under appreciated species.”
NMW team members will be at a moth night at the New Jersey Meadowlands (DeKorte Park, Lyndhurst, NJ) hosted by the Bergen County Audubon Society and the N.J. Meadowlands Commission.
In New York (Paul Smith College VIC) you can join Lauren and Brian today and tomorrow: “Monday, 22 July: As part of National Moth Week, a global celebration of moths and biodiversity, the VIC will host a naturalist-led crepuscular/evening walk along Heron Marsh from 8:00 PM to 9:00 PM. This is an interesting time to be in the field, because daytime animals are moving between daytime feeding grounds and their nighttime/sleeping grounds. Nocturnal animals are awakening and beginning to search for food. The cost is $10. From 9:00 PM to 11:00 PM, biologist and Paul Smith’s College professor Dr. Janet Mihuc will lead the public through a field survey of moth collecting sites, to observe and identify moth species collected through the use of black lights and sugar baiting of trees. Many species will be seen on white sheets at the collecting sites. The cost is $10. The cost for both evening events is $15, $25 per family. There is a 25% discount for Friends of the VIC. Tuesday, 23 July: As part of National Moth Week, the VIC will host an indoor moth display of the live moths which were captured the night before. Biologist and Paul Smith’s College professor Dr. Janet Mihuc will be available from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM to answer questions at the moth table. Participants are invited to help release the live moths. Free – underwritten by Friends of the VIC.”
Eric, in Hancock, New York is “.. inviting all moth-ers in the area to come to this incredible location at Somerset Lake, Hancock, NY to see how many species we can find. I got 837 Species last summer with minimal setups. This year, I am going all out. I would love for others to join us there to help find as many species as possible and get a count of the moths in this area. It is largely unexplored, but has an amazing variety. We have ponds, marsh, swamp, lakes and dense Hemlock woods. The possibilities are endless. The more people we get, the more we can find, and the more we can learn. So join me there. I have a small cabin that can be used for us to rest and use the internet. Yes it has DSL, and a connection to the rest of the world. It sits in the middle of nowhere, and there are so many moths there it is beyond description. Every habitat is nearby, so expect an amazing amount of species to be seen.”
Heidi is in Texas: “Marathon is a small town; there are several spots that we may try during the span of the week! Additionally, there may be other options in the region – we’ll know more in the coming weeks. Round 1 of 2013 NMW posts: http://www.bigbendnature.com/2013/06/gearing-up-for-national-moth-week.html”
Andree is in Barton, Vermont: “I will be photographing and identifying moths day and night on our property. We may be starting a group for Moth Night, also, if anybody is interested.”
In Washington DC NMW is celebrated every day this week: “Dr. John Brown, Research Entomologist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, will provide an hour-long, behind-the-scenes tour of the National Insect Collection, located at the National Museum of Natural History, on The National Mall, in downtown Washington, DC. One of the largest in the world, the collection is estimated to consist of nearly 30 million specimens, including nearly 3 million moths. Although the tour will focus on Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths), it will also include a dose of beetles and other insects, and highlight the collection storage facilities and research areas.
There will be a one hour tour per day, at 2pm. Each tour is limited to 10 participants. Registration required – email John Brown at john.brown@ars.usda.gov.
National Moth Week is celebrated every day this week – find events near you at the mothing map of the US.