MPF Master Class: Moths in and Around Grasslands

Much conservation and public attention has been given to butterflies. Moths, however, outnumber butterflies by ten to one in number of species. Being primarily nocturnal and frequently very small, moths are mostly unseen creatures, yet moths of both grasslands and eastern deciduous forests play important ecological roles. Join entomologist Betsy Betros as she presents about the complex world of moths (and about a few butterflies!) in the Kansas City region—far beyond the little brown moths that fly around your porch light. Much remains to be researched as to the life cycles of moths, abundance, and species diversity, providing countless opportunities for citizen science contributions!

Betsy Betros’s lifelong love of insects began in childhood, then she went on to earn a degree in entomology from Colorado State University, focusing mostly on aquatic insects. She worked for 35 years for the Environmental Department of Johnson County, Kansas, and worked to earn a Master’s degree from Kansas University in environmental health. She taught environmental science for 15 years, part time at Johnson County Community College, and found time to write a book on the butterflies of the Kansas City Region, which was published in 2008. In her retirement, Betros studies and photographs invertebrates on her five acres of land. So far, she has submitted more than 4,000 of her invertebrate images to Bugguide.net, including several rare species.

This master class, to be held via Zoom, will include a 50-minute presentation and at least a 10 minute question-and-answer session. A recording will only be available to those who have registered.

Cost: Free to all MPF dues-paying members and Grow Native! professional members, or $15 for non-members. Visit our MPF membership page to become a member and attend all master classes for free!

If you are registering the day of the event, please use the following Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN__z58aiM2ShqFbaGj0IOwAg. If you don’t receive an email confirmation, please check your spam/junk email folder.

For those who are part of the Grow Native! Professional Certification Program (GNPCP), this master class counts as one CEU. To register for the class, use the registration link above and see details about earning GNPCP CEUs here. If you have questions about registration, contact outreach@moprairie.org.

Photo of pink streak moth (Dargida rubripennis) by Betsy Betros