THE LITTLE-KNOWN WORLD OF MOTHS BY MAT SEIDENSTICKER

To most of us moths are an afterthought at best; simply the boringly-brown bugs flying frenzied around the street lights at night. Or maybe the pests we sometimes buy mothballs for to keep their larvae from eating our clothes. Truth be told, some moths are boringly-brown and others pests, but they represent one of the most diverse and ubiquitous insect groups on the planet outnumbering butterflies 9-to-1. They are also considered by scientists to be the most species-rich lineage adapted to depend on living plants. As pollinators, herbivores, and prey, moths serve multiple roles in the ecology of terrestrial ecosystems and food webs. Despite this, little is known about the natural history or basic biology of many species.

Researcher, Mat Seidensticker, will talk about these and other moth topics at Bitterroot Audubon’s April program. Mat will highlight interesting moth natural history, ways to observe and identify them, challenges they face, and discuss their importance in the diet of nocturnal insectivores like common Poorwills and Nighthawks on the MPG Ranch in the Bitterroot Valley. 

Mat has broad interests in research and natural history – earning a B.S., Wildlife Biology (2000) and M.S., Environmental Studies (2011) – from the University of Montana in Missoula. After graduation in 2000, he worked for over a decade with the Owl Research Institute conducting field studies on Snowy, Long-eared, Saw-whet, Flammulated, Pygmy, and Northern Hawk Owls in Alaska and Montana. Since 2015, he has been helping to conduct research on Common Poorwills and Nighthawks, Flammulated Owls, Lewis’s Woodpeckers, and moths with Kate Stone and the avian science team at MPG Ranch.

Come join Bitterroot Audubon in learning about this insect many of which are quite beautiful and extremely important to birds and our environment in general.  Monday, April 15^th, 7:00 P.M., at the Forest Service Building, 1801 North 1^st(north end of Hamilton) west side of HWY 93. Enter the building on the west side. THE PUBLIC IS INVITED. Contact Kay Fulton for additional information.