The DLC's first ever Moth Night was a resounding success!
Volunteer lepidopterist Matthew Rymkiewicz led an astonishing Moth Night at the Whitlock Preserve on Wednesday, July 26. Matthew came prepared with white cotton rigs backlit by blue lighting, the perfect portion of the spectrum for attracting moths. To further entice the winged visitors, attendees helped bait the moths by painting a mixture of rum, molasses, and over-ripe bananas on trees. Once the sun set, moths could be found in abundance. Among the species spotted were Painted Lichen Moths, Splendid Palpita Moths, Minor Angles, and Lesser Maple Spanworms. Guests were awed by the plentitude of insects and joined in Matthew's excitement when rarer moths came for a visit. It was an amazing evening and a fitting part of our celebration of National Moth Week.
