Observing Moths at Night: A Lightsheet & Mothing Demonstration at Flat Brook Wildlife Management Area
July 20 @ 8:30 pm - 11:30 pm
Every year, during the last week of July, National Moth Week celebrates the beauty, life cycles, habitats, and importance of moths and helps spread awareness of these essential insects whose global populations are rapidly declining. People of all ages and abilities are encouraged to learn about, observe, and document moths in their backyards, parks, and neighborhoods.
Join BEAT and Matthew Rymkiewicz for a night of mothing (i.e., using a light to look for moths at night) where we’ll learn about, observe, and document moths as a way to celebrate National Moth Week! We’ll have two sheet rigs lit up with lights to attract moths and other cool insects. Moths will begin to accumulate once it gets dark, and as the night goes on, the larger moths will begin to make their way to the sheet. As they gather, we’ll take a closer look at them and try to identify who is who.
DATE: Saturday, July 20 (rain date Thursday, July 25)
TIME: 8:30 PM to 11:30 PM » Participants are welcome to join at any time and leave whenever they want.
LOCATION: MassWildlife’s Flat Brook Wildlife Management Area (WMA), West Stockbridge, MA — Meet at the parking area on Baker Street. (Google Maps link) – GPS: 42.343198, -73.390584
Note: WMAs are intentionally wild, and visitors will find natural landscapes rather than maintained trails.
*A huge thank you to MassWildlife for allowing us to use Flat Brook WMA for this free educational event!
Matthew Rymkiewicz is an avid naturalist, birder, photographer, and amateur entomologist based in Dutchess County, NY. Over the past seven years, he has hosted events during National Moth Week in the Taconics and Berkshires region. A former musician and non-profit manager, Matthew works in IT at Jacob’s Pillow in Becket, where the birding is off the charts.
