East Sacramento Preservation Appreciates Friends of the River Banks (FORB)

Budding Entomologists

Here is a letter from our neighbors in Midtown (Friends of the River Banks). Check out their website.

Dear Friends:

More than 40 people came to pursue dragonflies at Sutter’s Landing on Saturday. The dragonflies largely stayed away, except those on the barbed wire by the mound, but damselflies and cabbage white butterflies were abundant down by the river. There were several budding entomologists in the group who made spectacular catches. Although the dragonflies were busy elsewhere, Greg had lots of stories and information about those we saw and other insects (including the Sesiid moths that look like wasps and hang around his pheromone-soaked plastic). Greg’s final summary of the day is below. Thanks to all the kids and adults who worked those nets, and thanks, especially, to Greg Kareofelas for sharing his time and expertise on a beautiful day.

Regards, Laurie Litman

Young scientist

P.S. The Pentax Papilio are excellent binoculars made for focusing on butterflies and insects (re Greg).

P.P.S. Next month we will have two events: Yoga by the River on Sept 10, and the Great American River Cleanup on Sept 17. See you then.

Sympetrum-corruptum

Greg’s Summary:

Here is what I saw today during the event:

Butterflies: Tiger swallowtail, Buckeyes, Cabbage Whites (what all the kids were catching) and Pyrgus communis (the small gray skippers).

Dragonflies: Green Darner, Blue Darner, Variegated Meadow Hawk, Spot Winged Glider, Black Saddlebags

Damselflies: Familiar Bluet (Enallagma civilie) This is the damselfly all the kids were catching or at least the one that Ella gave me to ID for her.

Of course, we saw the one moth. Its name is Sesia tibialis, Hodge number: 2543.

Cheers,

Greg