Bowling for Rhinos! 2011 last minute edition!

With baffling lightning speed, it's time for Bowling For Rhinos again! In a little over a week staff and friends of several of New England's zoos, aquariums, and science museums will gather to bowl against each other for bragging rights and to raise money to protect rhinos and rhino habitat. Rhinos are extremely endangered, and live alongside other precariously endangered animals--by protecting rhino habitat we're also helping out cheetahs and Grevy's zebras in Africa and clouded leopards and Asian elephants in Indonesia (as well as countless bird, reptile, amphibian, and plant species that are likewise endangered).

If you would like to pledge to support my team (I used to be on the "Pinheads," but now I may be in the Officer's Club or something) just click the paypal button to donate. FIVE DOLLARS IS NOT TOO LITTLE. In fact, every time someone posts a charity request on LJ or FB I donate 5 dollars--because I barely notice, it's the cost of a beer at a bar or a fancy coffee at Starbucks--and the people asking are very appreciative. A 5 dollar pledge given by 200 facebook or livejournal friends adds up to a really significant contribution to helping out wildlife.

Thanks for your donation!

For more Information!

100 Species #78: Maple leaftier

This maple leaftier moth Acleris forsskaleana was another of the creatures to visit us at the mercury vapor light at the shed.

Two things:(1)"leaftier" means "one who ties leaves." The caterpillar of this moth curls maple (and sycamore) leaves around itself, and binds (ties) them with silk. (2) if you do an image search for the scientific name, you'll see the reticulate pattern of this moth somewhat better than I depicted it here.

This moth is native to Europe, but is also found in New England. I suspect it came over (and is sustained by) the vast numbers of Norway maple in our cities and suburbs.