NATH7268 1.5 CEUs
Class night and time: Mondays, 7-9 pm
Class meetings: May 6-June 17
No Class May 27, no field trip May 25 (Memorial Day Weekend)
Lectures in person at Woodend, no Zoom will be offered
Instructor: Rick Borchelt, rborchelt@gmail.com; 202.812.7101
Butterflies and moths are often the first insects the public thinks of when they think of insects at all, but they are much more than monarch butterflies and luna moths. In this class we will explore how to identify butterfly and moth families; their evolution, life history strategies, and unique adaptations; and the vital role they play in local ecosystems. Field trips and class projects will focus on observing immature stages of Lepidoptera, rearing butterflies and moths for ID purposes, and surveying for adult Lepidoptera in the field.
At the end of this class, I hope participants will have developed a better understanding of how butterflies and moths evolved and act in natural ecosystems, how to identify major groups (families) of moths and butterflies as adults, how to identify caterpillars, and how to study leps in the field.
Required Resources:
Wagner, David. 2005. Caterpillars of Eastern North America: A guide to identification and natural history.
Beadle and Leckie. 2012. Peterson field guide to moths of North America.
Monroe and Wright. 2017. Butterflies of Pennsylvania.
John Himmelman (2023). Discovering Moths: Nighttime Jewels in Your Own Backyard, Eastern North American Species.
Suggested resources:
Introduction to superfamilies of lepidoptera at https://bugguide.net/node/view/57
Moth photographers group (MBP) https://mothphotographersgroup.msstate.edu
Class Projects
Caterpillar ID
I have set up a class project in iNat for the collection of identifiable caterpillars. Your goal will be to photodocument (any pic as long as the caterpillar can be ID’d from it) TWENTY FAMILIES of Lepidoptera caterpillars worth 5 points each, from mines to borers to herbivores proper. You can mix and match butterflies and moths. When you submit to iNat, please code your submission to our class project. Bonus points (10 points) for any caterpillar you post to iNat that isn’t already in the iNat library. (100 points)
Our class project is https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/nhfs-caterpillars-2024; please join the group project
Baits and Baiting for Butterflies and Moths
Putting out fruit fermenting matter or other baits for moths (often called “sugaring”) and butterflies has been a time-honored way of attracting Lepidoptera for study that has fallen out of widespread use. Class members are going to help create a master resource for helping new lepidopterists make and use bait stations for observing butterflies and moths.
The class will be divided into three sections, each of which will be responsible (as a group) for writing a chapter of our guide. One chapter will deal with historically used baits and recipes, one chapter will deal with techniques for baiting for moths, and one chapter will deal with baiting for butterflies. All class members will contribute to researching information for the chapters, which will be collected in a Google Drive. Each class member will be expected to contribute four *unique* citations to the class spreadsheet in Google. (100 points)
Class spreadsheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1JuDRcK3Xi1WtNQX7tS09PqN-O1shQ6BI/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=100467292534267170965&rtpof=true&sd=true
Observing Butterflies and Moths at Bait Stations
Each class member will pick one of the bait recipes and one of the baiting techniques (for either butterflies or moths) and monitor it for *at least* one week during the class, noting the species (to family if not to species) it attracts, what other insects might also come to the bait, and whether there is any change in the course of the day or night in the composition of leps attracted. Class members will present their findings on the night of the last class with a powerpoint presentation to the class. (100 points)
Field Trips
Participation in field trips adds immeasurably to the class experience; having said that, your participation is voluntary and it isn’t expected you will attend all of them.
In particular, we have a special opportunity to participate in a BioBlitz at Adkins Arboretum on June 1, an already scheduled field trip day. We’ll be able to roam the grounds (much of which is still in a wild state), set up and monitor bait stations, and help staff the moth lights/sheets after dark. I have added a fourth field trip Saturday that will be closer to DC for those who may not be able to travel that far afield.
Field trips are scheduled for:
May 11 US National Arboretum, DC
May 18 Patuxent North Tract, MD
June 1 Adkins BioBlitz
June 8 TBD (likely Howard Co Conservancy)
In the event of rain we try to run the field trip the following day (Sunday). Locations are tentative pending my scouting of the areas in advance.
Even more than birding or botanizing, butterfly and moth observation benefits from multiple eyes in the field as we look for interesting leps. But it also poses some challenges for group outings. Here are the 10 etiquette guidelines we try to follow on our field forays:
- We don’t have trip leaders as much as trip facilitators; still, please don’t get ahead of the facilitator unless s/he explicitly sends you ahead to scout.
- Please stay within easy earshot of the main group; having to shout or repeat information disrupts the entire group experience.
- On our trips we learn as much from each other as from the trip facilitator, but all the participants will appreciate if you keep the non-trip chatter to a minimum so others can concentrate on why we’re in the field.
- Photographers are key to documenting butterfly diversity, but the first priority is making sure everyone who wants to gets eyes on the butterfly without the aid of a camera.
- After you see the butterfly in question, if there are others who haven’t please step back so others can take a look.
- Once you have your photo, step back so others can get theirs. You get a second bite at the apple after everyone else has had a chance to see and photograph it.
- Please don’t walk in front of someone aiming binoculars or a camera, or get between people and the lep they’re viewing.
- Please don’t cast your shadow on the insect (they often spook easily).
- Absolutely don’t crush the surrounding vegetation (or your fellow trip participants’ feet) in your eagerness to get a photo (especially if you’re using your cellphone to do so).
- Share what you know, but know what you share. Personal experiences with leps are the heart of field observation.
LepLog 