Long Island has an abundant native fauna of Lepidoptera: there are at least 1,500 (and perhaps as many as 2,000) species of moths and butterflies. But there has been relatively little moth-collecting, which is surprising given the large number of rare species known to occur there, as listed by the New York Natural Heritage Program. With the help of grants from the Nature Conservancy and the New York State Museum, in 2002 Hugh McGuinness began photographing and collecting moths on the East End. Much of his work has focused on searching for rare moths to determine their status; using moths as indicator species for managing habitat; and elucidating the range of moths on Long Island. These efforts have yielded nearly 20,000 specimens and a list of more than 1,000 species. His talk will give an overview of Lepidoptera biodiversity, explaining how moths can be useful as management tools. In addition, he will dispel pernicious myths about moths and will discuss the joys of mothing.
