I am such a fan of Christopher Kline, what he has done at Butterfly Ridge in Rockbridge, Ohio and of the books he has been publishing. This review is for his most recent release, “The Moths of Butterfly Ridge: A Beginner’s Guide to Attracting and Identifying Moths in Ohio.”
Continue reading BUGGY BOOK REVIEW: “The Moths of Butterfly Ridge” by Christopher Kline
I remember when I was growing up, always wanting to be outside playing and exploring. I also remember waiting patiently at the bottom deck stair, touching the grass so that it was dry so that I didn’t track anything back into the house while I was out. Every few minutes I would run my hand through the grass readying myself to yell to my mother that the grass was finally dry. Once it was, I was nowhere to be seen. I was either in the overgrown field behind the house catching insects or I would be off to other areas in Jamestown that I knew where hot spots for cool insects.
Continue reading PROJECT SUMMER NIGHT LIGHT: Night-time Insects to Ooooh and Aaaah At!
The Regal Moth (Citheronia regalis), though beautiful in its own right, is perhaps better known for its caterpillar, known as the Hickory Horned Devil. These caterpillars get huge, reaching a length of six inches by the time they are ready to pupate. It’s range is the eastern portion of the United States, east of the Great Plains. Unfortunately it has been some time since this spectacular species has been reported in Rhode Island and Massachusetts.
Continue reading LEPIDOPTERA LIFE CYCLES: Citheronia regalis, the Regal Moth
In the past, when it comes to tarantulas, I have always said that the genus Brachypelma is my favorite. My second favorite is the genus Aphonopelma, which is made up of over 90 species, most of which are from the United States. They have a similar size to Brachypelmas but tend to be stockier in build and for the most part, have the same disposition and life expectancy. They are also very easy to care for.
Continue reading SPECIES SPOTLIGHT: Aphonopelma chalcodes, the Arizona Blonde
For me, seeing butterflies in my yard, or out on a hike is a thrill, especially if there is a lot of them. Growing up, butterfly populations were much higher than they are today, which just adds to the thrill when you see something you haven’t seen in awhile. It’s nice to know that they’re still there.
When it comes to tarantulas, the genus Brachypelma is by far my favorite. The first tarantula I got, in 1976, was Brachypelma harmori and its gentle disposition and long life instantly made it a favorite. As I added more tarantulas to my collection, I found that the Brachypelmas were the ones I enjoyed keeping the most.
Continue reading BRACHYPELMA KLAASI…A Pink Tarantula? YEP!!!
I first became aware of the book “The Last Butterflies: A Scientist’s Quest to Save a Rare and Vanishing Creature” thanks to a piece on NPR. Being a lover of Lepidoptera, I thought this would be an interesting book as it dealt with declining numbers in the butterfly world, a subject that has been on my mind a lot. I wasn’t sure what to expect as some of these books can be over-scientific, making it difficult to read. I am happy to report that this book is written so that everyone can enjoy it.
Continue reading BUGGY BOOK REVIEW: “The Last Butterflies” by Nick Haddad
Citheronia splendens, also known as the splendid royal moth, is a Mexican species that is closely related to the Regal moth (Citheronia regalis) and was discovered living in parts of Arizona in the early 1970’s. There is not much known about this species but it is definitely fun to rear and the resulting moth is spectacular.
Continue reading LEPIDOPTERA LIFE CYCLES: Citheronia splendens
For as long as I can remember I have had an interest in butterflies. In fact, one of my fondest memories as a child during the 1970’s was raising monarch butterflies every summer with my mother’s help. She would drive me to places where milkweed was growing and would help me find the tiny eggs and caterpillars, which we would bring home, raise and then release the adults. We would raise hundreds each summer. What is truly sad is that today, finding eggs and caterpillars seem to be almost impossible as monarch populations are on the decline.
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