Here we have what looks to be a Close-banded Yellowhorn (Colocasia propinquilinea) moth, one of a few dozen species that I enjoyed seeing while mothing this weekend. I will be sharing moths all spring, summer, and fall, in part to honor one of young Roger Tory Peterson’s hobbies, and something that helped foster his passion for the natural world in our Wild America. This pastime is as easy as turning on an outside light at night and seeing what shows up. The very difficult part comes in identifying these (mostly) nocturnal creatures! I do have the superb Peterson Field Guide to Moths of Northeastern North America by David Beadle and Seabrooke Leckie, which helps a great deal.
But whether it is moths, birds, flowers, butterflies, trees, dragonflies, fungi…the best naturalists in the world can tackle nearly anything, not only identifying a species but telling you more than you could ever have expected. Noble Proctor fell into this exceptionally rare category. For example, when Twan, Frank Gallo, and I started really getting serious about dragonfly and damselfly studies several years ago, Noble was the one we turned to for assistance. His unparalleled knowledge, always caring consultation and ebullient enthusiasm certainly ratcheted up our excitement, and he immediately taught us a great deal, answering every query with boundless information. I never had the opportunity to meet Roger, but I was so fortunate to have known Noble…and I know I am one of thousands and thousands of people feeling the same in the past few days. We will miss him as we have Roger, carrying on their monumental legacies in all we do.
Scott Kruitbosch
Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
