Backyard Habitat Initiative Speaker: Chelsea Gottfried, Mysterious Moths

Though seldom seen due to their nocturnal nature, moths are every bit as beautiful and charismatic as their butterfly cousins. Their role as pollinators is essential to the survival of many of our plants, especially orchids. Most importantly, moths and their caterpillars are food for birds, bats, and countless other animals. We will take a photographic journey into the intriguing world of moths, exploring which of our native plants are most enticing to these lovely Lepidopterans. We can all greatly benefit the ecosystem around us by "moth gardening" in our yards!

After Chelsea's talk we will be “mothing”! That’s right, we will be using light traps, bait, and other methods to attract these scaled marvels. We will get up close and personal with these moths in various habitats around TWC!

Chelsea Gottfried is a naturalist and nature-based preschool teacher in Crawford County, Ohio. She is an avid native plant gardener and a passionate entomologist as well as the co-author of Gardening for Moths: A Regional Guide.

Notes: Chelsea will have her book available for purchase and children must be accompanied by an adult.