Butterflies and moths are one of the insect species we are most used to seeing, but their small bodies hold incredible survival adaptations and behavior that might not be apparent to the naked eye.
In this VIRTUAL presentation, we hope you will learn something new and amazing about the family of butterflies and moths we call Lepidoptera.
We will start off with the popular monarch butterfly, discuss some physical structures of Lepidoptera, look at recent scientific studies, and discover species from far off places with behavior that not many know about.
Topics will include butterflies that drink blood, caterpillars raised by ants, memory retention through metamorphosis, moths that block bats' radar, and so much more!
This presentation will take place over Zoom beginning at 7pm. After the talk, we have time set aside for audience engagement and a Q&A. The Zoom link will be sent to you in a reminder email as the program date approaches.
An in-person version of this program will take place at the Horn Farm Center on Wednesday, August 28th from 6:45 to 8:15pm. In this program, the presentation will be followed by a tour of pollinator-friendly spaces at the Horn Farm Center and a moth-sheet lighting. Click here to learn more.
Interested in ways to support local lepidoptera at home? The weekend after this program, we're hosting an in-person class with native gardening expert Heather Andrews of The Thoughtful Gardener and our farm partner, Calyx Native Nursery. Click here to learn more about Fall Container Gardening for Pollinators, taking place on Saturday, September 7th from 10-11:30am.
Image info
- Top: Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus). Photo by the instructor.
- Bottom: Owl Butterfly, of the Caligo genus. Photo by the instructor.
About the Instructor: Jessica Bock
Jessica Bock was born in Medellín, Colombia where she spent a lot of time outdoors admiring the natural world. She went to college in Maine where she took classes in entomology, evolution, and other science topics. Her study abroad was in Costa Rica where she learned about tropical insects and arachnids. She is part of the Lancaster Butterfly Club and enjoys sharing the unusual information she learns in her research.