July 19th-27th: People in the Finger Lakes region of New York are encouraged to get out and look for moths attracted to their house lights and camouflaged in their yards - folks can contribute species lists or take pictures of moths and send them in for identification and documentation for the Finger Lakes moth week species list. Send species lists and pictures (with locations) to moths@oldbird.org. A running tally of all species documented during the week will be posted here.

 

 

Thursday July 24th (6:30-7:30pm): Natural History of the Moths of New York State. A presentation by Dr. Jason Dombroskie, Collection Manager of the Cornell University Insect Collection and Coordinator of the Insect Diagnostic Lab. This intimate journey into the hidden lives of moths and their caterpillars will look at some of the amazing species in your backyard.  Some of these moths take medicine and can bubble poison from their necks, produce perfume that can be smelled from over a mile away, or can jam bat echolocation.  We will also examine caterpillars with gills, stinky tentacles, and horns that squirt acid, as well as ones that throw their feces, and others that live inside regurgitated owl pellets. Borg Warner Room, Tompkins County Public Library (Ithaca, NY).

 

Friday July 25th (8pm-midnight): Watkins Glen moth night. Meet at the "Iroquois Lodge” in the six nations campground at Watkins Glen State Park any time after 8pm. From 8:30-9:00 there will be a brief introduction and a number of exhibits. From 9:00pm on there will be moth watching at four light stations and a bait line within walking distance of the lodge. Access to the park is free after 5:30pm (main entrance charges until 7:30pm). The event will be cancelled if heavy rain and/or lightning are in the vicinity.

 

Saturday July 26th (8pm-midnight): Ithaca moth night. Meet at the main parking lot of Robert H. Treman State Park (lower unit) any time after 8pm. There will be moth watching at four light stations and a bait line around the edges of the parking lot adjacent to the park office. Access to the park is free after 6pm. The event will be cancelled if heavy rain and/or lightning are in the vicinity.