[NatureNS] Ronald Hodges bio + fairy ring of ferns

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Date: Sun, 30 Jun 2013 10:18:50 -0600
From: Larry Ayers <larry.ayers@gmail.com>
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I use a three-step process for ID-ing moths: first I try to narrow down to
a genus or group of genera using a field guide such as Peterson's, followed
by referring to two essential sites on the web. Bug guide (
http://bugguide.net) is a great resource, but the Moth Photographer's site
has more species and they are arranged according to their Hodges numbers.

http://mothphotographersgroup.msstate.edu/

The Moth Photographer's Group species listings features links to the Bug
Guide pages for the species; this enables you to see a wide variety of
photos and commentary.

I'd love to see a ring of ferns!

Larry Ayers




On Sun, Jun 30, 2013 at 7:49 AM, Peter Payzant <pce@accesswave.ca> wrote:

> Hi, Steve-
>
> Yes, MONA would be a huge investment, and in fact might not be a very good
> one, if you were mainly interested in assigning a name to a photo or
> specimen. This is a huge project and is far from complete, even though it
> has been going on since the early '70s. Furthermore, although it has
> wonderful photos, they aren't necessarily helpful in making an
> identification, due to the problems of individual variation within a
> species and similarities between species.
>
> Like all science, the taxonomy of moths is in constant flux and you will
> find the same organism named differently depending upon the age of the
> reference you use. Likewise the higher-level organization (families, etc.)
> changes with time.
>
> To identify a moth, I usually go to a whole bunch of references including
> field guides, Holland's ancient moth book, Ferguson's "Lepidoptera of Nova
> Scotia" and of course the web. It's important to get some idea of the
> range, habitat and food plants for the species, since for example something
> which feeds on Yucca could pretty much be ruled out for Nova Scotia. If
> you're lucky, the moth you're trying to ID won't look much like any other
> species, and you will be happy with the ID. Other times, the one you are
> trying to find will look like several different species or none!
>
> If you are really serious about naming a specimen, the Nova Scotia Museum
> has a good collection of local moths and it may be possible to get some
> help from them, although no doubt this would be dependent upon whether they
> have the resources to deal with this sort of request.
>
> As for the ring of ferns, sorry but I haven't a clue.
>
> Peter
>
>
>
>
>
> On 2013-06-29 7:11 PM, Steve Shaw wrote:
>
>> Thanks, Peter, interesting.   It would be quite an investment even to own
>> all of the 28 volumes of moth families advertised so far in the site that
>> you indicated (of the ~130 expected), that presumably underpin the
>> Checklist or part of it.   For a modest $20, the Checklist is presumably
>> just that, a list of proper binomial names without illustrations.  This
>> raises the question of how you are supposed to go from finding, say, an
>> unidentified local green geometer to putting a Hodges name on it.
>>  BugGuide?  It is a quite different matter doing this for the estimated
>> 16,000+ moths than for local butterflies, where your excellent, updated
>> Butterflies site gives images of all 70-odd species that have occurred in
>> NS, making identification much easier.  Bev's site is a great starting
>> point for the moths, but I think it is fairly recent.
>>
>
>

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<div dir=3D"ltr">I use a three-step process for ID-ing moths: first I try t=
o narrow down to a genus or group of genera using a field guide such as Pet=
erson&#39;s, followed by referring to two essential sites on the web. Bug g=
uide (http://bugguide.net) is a great r=
esource, but the Moth Photographer&#39;s site has more species and they are=
 arranged according to their Hodges numbers.<div>
<br></div><div><a href=3D"http://mothphotographersgroup.msstate.edu/">http:=
//mothphotographersgroup.msstate.edu/</a><br></div><div><br></div><div>The =
Moth Photographer&#39;s Group species listings features links to the Bug Gu=
ide pages for the species; this enables you to see a wide variety of photos=
 and commentary.</div>
<div><br></div><div>I&#39;d love to see a ring of ferns!</div><div><br></di=
v><div>Larry Ayers =A0</div><div><br></div><div><br></div></div><div class=
=3D"gmail_extra"><br><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote">On Sun, Jun 30, 2013 at=
 7:49 AM, Peter Payzant <span dir=3D"ltr">&lt;<a href=3D"mailto:pce@accessw=
ave.ca" target=3D"_blank">pce@accesswave.ca</a>&gt;</span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1p=
x #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">Hi, Steve-<br>
<br>
Yes, MONA would be a huge investment, and in fact might not be a very good =
one, if you were mainly interested in assigning a name to a photo or specim=
en. This is a huge project and is far from complete, even though it has bee=
n going on since the early &#39;70s. Furthermore, although it has wonderful=
 photos, they aren&#39;t necessarily helpful in making an identification, d=
ue to the problems of individual variation within a species and similaritie=
s between species.<br>

<br>
Like all science, the taxonomy of moths is in constant flux and you will fi=
nd the same organism named differently depending upon the age of the refere=
nce you use. Likewise the higher-level organization (families, etc.) change=
s with time.<br>

<br>
To identify a moth, I usually go to a whole bunch of references including f=
ield guides, Holland&#39;s ancient moth book, Ferguson&#39;s &quot;Lepidopt=
era of Nova Scotia&quot; and of course the web. It&#39;s important to get s=
ome idea of the range, habitat and food plants for the species, since for e=
xample something which feeds on Yucca could pretty much be ruled out for No=
va Scotia. If you&#39;re lucky, the moth you&#39;re trying to ID won&#39;t =
look much like any other species, and you will be happy with the ID. Other =
times, the one you are trying to find will look like several different spec=
ies or none!<br>

<br>
If you are really serious about naming a specimen, the Nova Scotia Museum h=
as a good collection of local moths and it may be possible to get some help=
 from them, although no doubt this would be dependent upon whether they hav=
e the resources to deal with this sort of request.<br>

<br>
As for the ring of ferns, sorry but I haven&#39;t a clue.<span class=3D"HOE=
nZb"><font color=3D"#888888"><br>
<br>
Peter</font></span><div class=3D"HOEnZb"><div class=3D"h5"><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
On 2013-06-29 7:11 PM, Steve Shaw wrote:<br>
<blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1p=
x #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
Thanks, Peter, interesting. =A0 It would be quite an investment even to own=
 all of the 28 volumes of moth families advertised so far in the site that =
you indicated (of the ~130 expected), that presumably underpin the Checklis=
t or part of it. =A0 For a modest $20, the Checklist is presumably just tha=
t, a list of proper binomial names without illustrations. =A0This raises th=
e question of how you are supposed to go from finding, say, an unidentified=
 local green geometer to putting a Hodges name on it. =A0BugGuide? =A0It is=
 a quite different matter doing this for the estimated 16,000+ moths than f=
or local butterflies, where your excellent, updated Butterflies site gives =
images of all 70-odd species that have occurred in NS, making identificatio=
n much easier. =A0Bev&#39;s site is a great starting point for the moths, b=
ut I think it is fairly recent.<br>

</blockquote>
<br>
</div></div></blockquote></div><br></div>

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