March 25, 2024

Upcoming Mothing Events

Yippee! 2024 mothing season has begun! Had such a fun night with Sam Kieschnick, Craig Hensley and students attending a conference in Houston. Here's a link to Craig's video: https://www.facebook.com/texasnaturetrackers/videos/1808373639678674

Below are upcoming mothing events. Please check this journal post/journal before heading out to any of these events. I will update this post if an event has to be cancelled or updated.

April 13 - Saturday - 7:45p to 10:00p
Monthly Moth Mania at Exploration Green - held monthly on 2nd Saturday
16203 Diana Ln, Houston, TX 77062 (park in main parking lot and walk downhill)
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=120329&subview=map

And especially for City Nature Challenge:
April 27 - Saturday - 8:00p
Lawther-Deer Park Prairie
https://texasprairie.org/deerpark/
1222 E. Purdue Lane, Deer Park 77536
Please park on the school side of the street, not in front of neighbors' homes.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=189476&subview=map

April 28 - Sunday - 8:00p-10:00p
Brazos Bend State Park, near the Dining Hall
21901 FM 762 Rd, Needville, TX 77461-5634
Event is free but you'll need to pay park entry. If you are not staying overnight you'll need to leave by 10p.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=122244&subview=map

Who knows, the Moth Posse might scare up public mothing for Friday and Monday nights as well.

Posted on March 25, 2024 05:22 PM by rednat rednat | 0 comments | Leave a comment

October 7, 2023

October Mothing Events

Yay, our first "cool" front has arrived! I have the sheet up in my backyard this evening. Come enjoy the cooler weather tomorrow night at Exploration Green. Oct 28's moth night will be in conjunction with EG's Glow the Green Halloween event.

Oct 7 and Oct 28 - Saturday - Sunset to 10p
Monthly Moth Night at Exploration Green
16203 Diana Ln, Houston, TX 77062 (park in main parking lot and walk downhill)
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=120329&subview=map

Posted on October 7, 2023 01:38 AM by rednat rednat | 0 comments | Leave a comment

September 2, 2023

Mothing Equipment

Here is info about mothing equipment my mothing buddies and I have been using this summer.

For photographing with a smartphone:
Xenvo Pro Lens Kit - Good clear close-up photos get better id's. Use the macro lens with the selfie ring light below.
https://www.amazon.com/Xenvo-iPhone-Camera-Lens-Clip/dp/B01A6D2JVI/ref=asc_df_B01A6D2JVI?tag=bingshoppinga-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=80401840125240&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=e&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4584001418843498&psc=1

Selfie Ring Light - When you get close to the insect, the phone blocks the light. Use the ring light to eliminate shadows on your subject. Be sure to get model XJ-19 because the clip on the other one doesn't fit. At the moment, this product appears to be out of stock, but hopefully will be back soon. The battery only lasts a couple of hours, so you might want to get two if you start mothing a lot.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08NDGX681/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

To use the two together, hold the ring light in one hand with the light side facing up and open the clip.
I like to hold it open with a little twist-tie. Hold the Xenvo clip with the other hand, lens platform facing up (no lens attached). Open the Xenvo clip and clip it around the ring light's bottom half. Attach the Xenvo macro lens to its platform and now you're ready to clip the whole thing to your phone. If your phone has multiple camera lenses, see https://www.xenvopro.com/ for instructions on how to determine which lens to use.

For the light station, you'll need a reflective surface for insects to land on and light(s).
I like to use full-size bed sheets for portability. You can also use duck cloth (not canvas). Bed sheets are light and easy to set up but need to be secured well if it's windy. Duck cloth is much heavier, so flaps less, but needs much sturdier support (think porch columns or steel posts).

I usually hang my sheet on a pair of double shepherd's hooks with a 6' garden pole across the top and attach the sheet with clothespins. You can also drape the sheet on the side of a vehicle and attach with magnets.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08L7QV914/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

You can also use a white opaque rain barrel! The 30-gallon size will fit in a small sedan. Hang one or two (recommend two) UV light bars inside, attached to portable charger on top. Stuff the bung hole with something, like a sock, so you don't collect critters inside.

UV light bar:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07G9XYF9C/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

For more equipment suggestions, see sambiology's journal post of July 14, 2023.

For general mothing how-to's, go to nationalmothweek.org and check out their Finding Moths tab. There is even a series of short videos in Video Library.

Where to go? Any place with lots of native plants, and the less light pollution the better. Be sure to check out your own backyard! Have fun!

Posted on September 2, 2023 12:13 AM by rednat rednat | 2 comments | Leave a comment

August 25, 2023

Next Mothing Events

We've had great fun this summer! Several new species and sub-100's were found for each location last month. A rare wasp was found at Exploration Green. See https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/176980341 and https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/176912276. Even more exciting, at Deer Park last month, Derek Hudgins (tdhudgins) logged a beetle never before reported in iNaturalist! See https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/174789510.

Aug 26 - Saturday - 8p to 11p
Lawther-Deer Park Prairie
https://texasprairie.org/deerpark/
1222 E. Purdue Lane, Deer Park 77536
Please park on the school side of the street, not in front of neighbors' homes.
Visitors will need to sign a liability release form.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=189476&subview=map

Sep 2 and Oct 7 - Saturday - Sunset to 10p
Monthly Moth Night at Exploration Green
16203 Diana Ln, Houston, TX 77062 (park in main parking lot and walk downhill)
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=120329&subview=map

See you there!

Posted on August 25, 2023 01:54 AM by rednat rednat | 0 comments | Leave a comment

July 1, 2023

Blacklighting Events in Greater Houston Area

I'm happy (because mothing makes me happy) to share a series of blacklighting events in the Greater Houston Area for July, moth month! All events are free and open to the public. If you know of others, please let me know.

July 1 and August 5 - Saturday - Sunset to 10p
Monthly Moth Night at Exploration Green
16203 Diana Ln, Houston, TX 77062 (park in main parking lot and walk downhill)
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=120329&subview=map

July 8 - Saturday - 8:15p to 11p
Night-critter Bioblitz at Russ Pitman Park (Nature Discovery Center)
7112 Newcastle St, Bellaire, TX 77401
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=161748&subview=map

July 15 - Saturday - 8p to 10p
Meet Your Nighttime Neighbors at Sugar Land Memorial Park
15300 University Blvd, Sugar Land, TX 77479
Park in the main parking lot, then follow the tables and blacklight stations along walking paths to the Butterfly Garden at the windmill.

July 22 - Saturday - 8p to 11p
Lawther-Deer Park Prairie
1222 E. Purdue Lane, Deer Park 77536
Register here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/10AF7XxRRHOnIzb2iDukr0znABGEBtxvHrXIUXm_iqJ0/edit?usp=sharing
Please park on the school side of the street, not in front of neighbors' homes.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=any&project_id=deer-park-prairie-biodiversity&subview=map

July 29 - Saturday - 9p to 11p
Trinity River NWR
601 FM 1011, Liberty, TX

I look forward to seeing/meeting you at one or more of these!

Posted on July 1, 2023 05:42 PM by rednat rednat | 22 comments | Leave a comment