28/07/2025
Yeah, my neighbors probably think I have completely lost it as I have been in the backyard at 1 a.m. with a blacklight strapped to a white curtain. I swear there is a really good reason for the weird glow… I have been contributing to National Moth Week! (https://nationalmothweek.org)
As some of you may know, I strive to do my part by raising awareness about the importance of insects. I use my photography to share the beauty and overlooked details of the small, underappreciated creatures that surround us. This week, I finally participated in Moth Week to help document the moth species in my area! (Northern Illinois) It is a simple way to contribute to monitoring environmental changes, as moths serve as excellent indicators of biodiversity. If their numbers shift, it can signal that something is wonky; for example, sometimes it is climate-related, while at other times it is the overuse of pesticides. (Which not only kills insects indiscriminately but also pollutes our waterways and increases health risks for us, too.)
Did you know there are over 1,800 species of moths in Illinois alone?! When bees clock out at sunset, moths take over the night-shift pollinating duties, quietly helping our plants and ecosystems survive. Most people hardly see them because they are active while we (should be) asleep, but they are just as important as the daytime pollinators we celebrate. And that’s why I am participating in this project.
Even though moth week is technically “over,” this will be a living post that I update as the nights go by. I am a big ‘ol nature nerd, so this breathes a lot of life into me. Every night brings new visitors to the sheet, and even though the focus is on moths, I will definitely share photos/videos of any other creatures that crash the photo shoot.
I know I probably do not have to say this, but no insects are harmed during the shoot. I also always turn the lights off well before sunrise so everyone has a chance to return to their hideouts before morning.
Thanks for looking at my photos. I hope you all see moths in a different light after reading this post.
Did you find an insect? Share your photos with me 🙂
