Jul 23, 2024
Jul 23, 2024
Join us for an enlightening webinar on mothing and citizen science, perfect for beginners eager to explore the fascinating world of moths. Alicia will guide us through the easy steps of mothing, providing tips for taking great photos and identifying key features to differentiate moths from butterflies. She will also share insights on how to recognize general moth groups. Whether you're new to mothing or looking to enhance your skills, this webinar is designed to help you appreciate these incredible insects and contribute to scientific knowledge. Don't miss this opportunity to learn and participate in National Moth Week! For more information, visit the National Moth Week 2024 Canada Umbrella Project on iNaturalist.
Speaker: Alicia Penney
Laboratory Instructor, Biology Cape Breton University
Speaker Bio: Alicia Penney is an avid naturalist and moth enthusiast who works as a laboratory instructor in the Biology Department at Cape Breton University, Nova Scotia. On a warm August day in 2012, she observed a strange little sparkly orange bug on her car. After some investigation, she was shocked to discover it was a moth - Linnaeus's spangle wing (Chrysoclista linneella). From that point on, Alicia always paused to look at the sleepy moths gathered near porch lights or flitting through the garden, marveling at their patterns and becoming more and more curious about these oft-overlooked creatures. Since that time, through the use of inaturalist.ca, Alicia has documented 5,200+ observations of nearly 600 species, mostly at her own lights, and has hosted an annual moth party at her home during national moth week for the past five years.