National Moth Week 2016: Schedule of Activities

NMW Events in and near Grand Forks, North Dakota, 22-31 July 2016

Mothing 101

Friday, July 22 – 8:00 p.m., Amphitheater, Turtle River State Park, Arvilla.  Dr. Carl Barrentine will introduce us to several dozen of the larger and more colorful moths found at the Turtle River State Park.  Carl has been catching and photographing moths in northeastern North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota for the last five years, 2012-16 (see www.dakotanaturalist.com).  Carl’s presentation will begin at 8:00 p.m. and last about an hour. Moth-watchers will ‘night-light’ for moths until between 9:30 – 11:30 p.m. in the Amphitheater area after the presentation. Bring your bug spray, camera and a flashlight!  Please remember that all vehicles should display a daily or seasonal permit.

Saturday, July 23 – 8:00 p.m., Amphitheater, Turtle River State Park, Arvilla. Dr. Rebecca Simmons, moth researcher and UND biology professor, will discuss how some species of moths have evolved some very clever strategies to avoid predators as well as some astonishing ways to communicate with one another in their efforts to survive and reproduce on the darkest of nights.  Becky’s presentation will begin at 8:00 p.m. and last about an hour. Moth-watchers will ‘night-light’ for moths until between 9:30 – 11:30 p.m. in the Amphitheater area after the presentation. Bring your bug spray, camera, and a flashlight!  Please remember that all vehicles should display a daily or seasonal permit.

Saturday, July 23 – 10:00 a.m., Information Center, Turtle River State Park, Arvilla.  Erika Kolbow and Steven Demmerly, TRSP Interpretative Naturalists, will involve children in an activity that will include examining, identifying and releasing moths captured the night before. Please remember that all vehicles should display a daily or seasonal permit.

July 27, 9:00-12:00 p.m. – Mini-Mothapolooza, Information Center, Turtle River State Park, Arvilla.  Dr. Carl Barrentine will sponsor a mini-mothapolooza for local wannabie moth-watchers. Weather permitting, we will spend Wednesday evening catching and identifying local moths.  Please call to reserve your place for this activity (701.330.7374).  Bring your bug spray, camera, and a flashlight!  And please remember that all vehicles should display a daily or seasonal permit.

 

July 28, 2-3:30 p.m. – Children’s Department, Grand Forks Public Library, Caterpillar Station as part of the Grand Finale for the Summer Reading Program,.  Sharon Watson, local moth and caterpillar expert, will answer questions about rearing and photographing local moth caterpillar. Contact Aaron Stefanich for more information (701.772.8116, ext. 13).

 2016 North Dakota National Moth Week Participants:

Becky Simmons, UND biology prof, 701.777.3439 (UND), rebecca.simmons@email.und.edu

Sharon Watson, Local Caterpillar and Moth Expert/Naturalist/Wildlife Photographer, sharons_photography@infionline.net

Carl Barrentine, retired UND integrated studies prof, 701.330-7374, CDBarrentine@outlook.com, www.dakotanaturalist.com, https://www.youtube.com/user/Lucretius41, http://bugguide.net/user/view/40711

Erika Kolbow, interpretive naturalist, TRSP, 701.594.4445 (office), ekolbow@nd.gov

Steven Demmmerly, interpretive naturalist, TRSP, 701.594.4445 (office), sdemmerly.nd.gov

Jerry Fauske, Research Specialist and Collections Manager, North Dakota State Insect Research Collection, NDSU, 701.231.9491, gerald.fauske@ndsu.edu

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Some Local and National Educational Resources

National Moth Week: http://nationalmothweek.org/

Moths of North Dakota: http//www.ndsu.edu/pubweb/~gefauske/ndmoths/home.htm

Dakota Naturalist: http://www.dakotanaturalist.com/

Dakota Science Center: http://www.dakota-science.org/

Turtle River State Park: http://www.parkrec.nd.gov/parks/trsp/trsp.html

Grand Forks Public Library: http://www.gflibrary.com/index.aspx?NID=9

University of North Dakota Biology: http://arts-sciences.und.edu/biology/

Mothing and Moth-watching (FaceBook Groups):  https://www.facebook.com/groups/137219092972521/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/mothsofeasternnorthamerica/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/299626730096119/

Moth Photographers Group: mothphotographersgroup.msstate.edu/

Pacific Northwest Moths: pnwmoths.biol.wwu.edu/