Nighttime Mothing at Jack Rabbit Trail Head

When: July 23, 2025 @ 9:00 pm

Moth sheet hosting a variety of insects attracted with black light

Celebrate National Moth Week!

This is one of thirteen Mothing Events hosted by Mainspring this week at Welch Farm Preserve in Cherokee County and Jackrabbit Recreation Area in Clay County.

The Southern Blue Ridge is home to a huge diversity of moths, from giant Silk moths to teeny tiny Grass moths! Hidden under the cloak of darkness, we don’t often have a chance to appreciate these nocturnal beauties like we do butterflies, but moths are just as stunning as their daytime cousins. Join us to discover the difference between moths and butterflies, reveal the inner workings of the moth life-cycle and why they depend on native plants, and learn how to attract these valuable nighttime pollinators to your own property.

During this event, we will have an active moth sheets set up. We will be using black lights and home-brewed bait to safely attract the insects to our mothing station. This will give participants the opportunity to observe these wild animals closely and compare them with similar species. We will see a variety of different moth species as well as lots of cool native beetles! We will start the evening with a frog walk as the moths come out. There will be an array of night sounds, from numerous frog species calling to each other along Lake Chatuge to the Chuck-Wills-Widow singing his dusk song.

Male (foreground) and female (background) Eastern Hercules Beetles (Dynastes tityus), a species of rhinoceros beetle native to the Eastern United States. Photographed by Alina Martin

The trails at Jackrabbit Trail Head are natural surface that vary in elevation, from gentle incline to medium steep incline, and there are some stepping hazards such as roots, rocks, or mud in the trail. Little is required to approach the Mothing Station or participate in the frog walk, which will be on level ground. We suggest bringing water, a snack, layers, sturdy hiking shoes, and any naturalist tools you may want such as a notebook, hand lens, or field guide. Moths, other insects, our own field guides, and magnifying glasses will be provided. Note that there are restrooms on this property.

Email Alina at [email protected] if you have any questions.

MAINSPRING’S NATIONAL MOTH WEEK EVENT DATES

As Mainspring’s Conservation Outreach Associate, Alina Martin aims to encourage the protection and appreciation of land by connecting communities to the birds, plants, mammals, amphibians, and reptiles that share our home here in the Southern Blue Ridge. Her birding adventures up and down the east coast have introduced her to a wide variety of habitats, and those experiences inspire her to continue nurturing her understanding of wildlife and plant ecology. Armed with her identification knowledge and ever-increasing wonder, Alina leads a variety of educational programs here at Mainspring, and finds something curious and new each time. She is a life-long birder, all-around naturalist, and avid user of eBird and iNaturalist.

Celebrate National Moth Week!

MAINSPRING’S NATIONAL MOTH WEEK EVENT DATES

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