Circle of Life Edition

Scientists want your dead bugs

A Luna Moth. Source: Paul Crook.

This week I’ll be brief on the words (and heavy on the photos) because I’m headed out on break soon and need to attend to a few things. I’m wondering:

Are you superstitious?

I hope you are not too much like Michael, because this week we are going to have to talk about dead insects, and I’ve heard some people are superstitious about seeing dead bugs and insects in their daily lives. But it happens. Circle of life, you know?

United States Geological Survey (USGS) scientists are doing a project where they need citizens to mail in deceased skippers, butterflies and moths. (Skippers are considered intermediate forms between butterflies and moths.) Your specimen is wanted if you live in one of these six states: Georgia, Alabama, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas.

The purpose for the request is that researchers want to establish a Lepidoptera Research Collection (LRC), and are attempting to identify contaminants and environmental factors which may be contributing to the decline of insect populations.

I liked reading the official USGS press release about the project because it shows that even though they take dead bugs seriously, they are not humorless:

The DEADline is November 1, 2023.

The project seems to have generated a good bit of interest from the media. Here are links to recent stories from NPR and WSAV News in Savannah. So, if you see one of these dead insects—butterfly, skipper, moth—send it in. Address and details in USGS press release.

The Fiery Skipper. Photo: Riveredge Nature Center, Wisconsin.

One more things before you go:

• I’ll publish less frequently for a few weeks because of an upcoming series of classes and travel. I am participating in Monarch Watch, however, and thought you may enjoying seeing the fall migration pattern. There is a Monarch Watch app if you’d like to download it for the fall. I saw my first Monarch of the season last Saturday at Panola Mountain State Park.

  

  The fall migration (September-November). This figure is an interpretation of the routes taken by Monarchs during the fall migration. The pathways are based on tag recoveries and observations of Migrating Monarchs. Source: Monarch Watch website.

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