NATH7268 1.5 CEUs
Class night and time: Mondays, 7-9 pm
Class meetings: May 6-June 17
No Class May 27
Lectures in person at Woodend
Field trip dates: May 11, 18, and June 1 (10 am-3 pm). Locations TBD depending on scouting trips and progression of the season, plus one evening moth night during class TBD in consultation with participants once the class starts
Members $270, nonmembers $320
Instructor: Rick Borchelt
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. REGISTER

Required Readings:   
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/