Program fee: FREE! But please let us know you’re coming by emailing: info@thenaturalistsnotebook.com — just in case we have to make any last-minute weather-related changes.

Dr. Stephen Rannels, associate professor of physiology at Pennsylvania State University, is not only a scientist but also the personification of a curious naturalist. This spring, Dr. Rannels sighted his 5,000th bird species AND he is an avid moth enthusiast! When he and his wife, Sharon, go on trips, they bring along camera equipment, lights, and sheets to attract and photograph moths at night. Back home, Steve identifies the moths from his high-res photos, and arranges them into collages that commemorate their travels. Last summer, when Steve and Sharon visited, we created this awesome “Moths of Acadia” card and identification resource. They’ll be back at the Naturalist’s Notebook this May, and Steve will be presenting a short powerpoint about his favorite moth encounters. We’ll have some sheets set up too, in hopes of attracting moths that we can practice identifying. It might be too early in the season for moths to be super active, but we’ll give it a whirl, and you can check out Steve’s setup in case you ever want to try it on your own! Steve’s enthusiasm for the natural world is infectious, and this is sure to be a fun night celebrating our nocturnal Lepidopterid neighbors!