Author Archives: hpahaska

Master Naturalist Colin Croft regularly sets up lights and bait at night in the Wildcat Hills to see what insects he might attract. On July 21 a Joined Underwing was attracted to his bait. Larvae of this species feed on cottonwoods and willows and while it is widespread across the state its habitat becomes scarcerContinue reading “Two Moths New to Scotts Bluff County”

On June 30 six intrepid observers (Chris Helzer, Noelle Schuman, Kojo Baidoo, Eric Strehlow, Jen Corman and Neil Dankert) set out on the 38th annual Niobrara Valley Preserve Butterfly Count. The weather started out a little on the cool side (temps in the low 70s) when the count began at 9:45 am but was idealContinue reading “2025 Niobrara Valley Preserve Butterfly Count”

This year’s Niobrara Valley Preserve Butterfly Count was held June 30. Chris Helzer, Eric Strehlow, Mark Brogie, his wife Ellen and myself showed up a day early to check out the local nightlife. Mark and Eric set up their sheets and mercury vapor lights and Eric and I drove around and set up about 20Continue reading “Mothapaloosa”

Back on in mid-June (13th) Steve Spomer stopped by Victoria Springs SRA where he found three Hobomok Skippers (previously unreported in Custer County). While not uber-rare they are uncommon in central Nebraska. Good find Steve!! With the help of Mark Brogie I’ve been updating our NE Moth spreadsheet. Watch for posts in the near futureContinue reading “Hobomok Skipper in Custer County”

Congrats to Elizabeth Hilkemann, a grade school insect enthusiast, who photographed a Yellow-lined Owlet Moth in southern Lancaster County. This is the first report of this species in the state. Literature lists Willows (Salix sp.) as a likely larval host plant. Mom Laura reports willows to be common in the area. Willows are one ofContinue reading “New Moth For State”

Just a quick heads up – Monarch butterflies will be featured on CBS’s 60 Minutes this coming Sunday (Easter Sunday. Here is the CBS teaser. Be set to record it if you can’t watch live.

James Adams contacted me regarding some additional moths they had found on their road trip through Nebraska last summer (see Feb 6 post). As a result of his previous communication five new moth species were added to Nebraska’s known moth list. In his latest communication five more species are added to our state list. AllContinue reading “More New Moths (Again)”

WWF has reported that the number of Monarch butterflies overwintering in Mexico this past winter (2024-2025) has roughly doubled from the previous year (2023-2024). But before we pop the champagne corks realize that 2023-2024 population was the second lowest on record, so the bar was set pretty low. Read all about it here. Also inContinue reading “Good News (sorta) and Trees Useful to Lepidoptera”

The other day I got an email from Colin Croft who resides in the Scotts Bluff area and is an avid observer of the natural world (including Lepidoptera). Colin had connected with Chuck Harp (curator of the insect collection at Colorado State University in Fort Collins) and sent him some moths to identify. Chuck identifiedContinue reading “More New Moths”

Several days of snow and sub-zero temperatures (not to mention “brisk” breezes) were bringing on a case of the winter blahs. Then I open my email and there’s a Nebraska Statewide Arboretum newsletter. Pictures of green things – instant cheer! Then it gets better. There is a Zoom presentation March 13 on the importance ofContinue reading “Plants for our Insect Friends”