Outdoor Radio: Moth Watching

Co-hosts Kent McFarland and Sara Zahendra are joined by JoAnn Russo, naturalist and moth expert, to watch backyard moths.

Attracting, photographing, and identifying moths is a fun family activity. All you need are some lights and a sheet! Biologists Sara Zahendra and Kent McFarland went out into Kent’s backyard watch moths and talk about the important role they play. There are about 2,500 species of moths in Vermont; many of them documented by dedicated moth watcher Joanne Russo. She joins Kent and Sara on Outdoor Radio to share her knowledge.

Listen to the show

MORE  INFORMATION

• View all the moth sightings reported to iNaturalist Vermont, a project of the Vermont Atlas of Life and report your own observations
• Moth Photographers Group
• BugGuide.net
• iNaturalist Species Pages
• Moths Of Eastern United States Facebook Group
• Peterson’s Field Guide to Moths of the Northeast
• Vermont Giant Silkmoth Survey
• Celebrate National Moth Week – July 22-30

Images from the show

Kent also has a slideshow of the many moths he has photographed in his backyard.

Green Leuconycta Moth (Leuconycta diphteroides). / © K.P. McFarland

Putnam’s Looper (Plusia putnami). / © KP McFarland

Rosy Maple Moth (Dryocampa rubicunda). / © KP McFarland

Eastern Panthea Moth (Panthea furcilla). / © KP McFarland

Apical Prominent (Clostera apicalis). / © KP McFarland

Agreeable Tiger Moth (Spilosoma congrua). / © KP McFarland

Ochre Dagger Moth (Acronicta morula). / © K.P. McFarland

Eastern Panthea Moth (Panthea furcilla) / © KP McFarland

White-Fringed Emerald (Nemoria mimosaria). / © KP McFarland

Outdoor Radio is a monthly feature produced in collaboration with Vermont Public Radio with support from the Jack and Dorothy Byrne Foundation. The program is produced by Vermont Public Radio chief audio engineer Chris Albertine.