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The Moth Woman of Northern Indiana

5/24/2015

 
PictureTom Turpin and his assistant Alex Forsythe
by Tom Turpin, professor of entomology at Purdue University, reprinted from Purdue Extension's "On Six Legs", January 2009


Gene Stratton-Porter, one of Indiana's best-known authors, was known as the "Bird Woman" in real life. She could just as well have been known as the "Moth Woman." Born in 1863 in the small town of Lagro in Wabash County, she was the youngest of 12 children. With all those kids in the family, the youngest didn't get a lot of attention, so Stratton-Porter learned to play by herself as she grew up. The outdoors became her playground, and that is where she developed her lifelong love of nature, including birds and moths.

Following her marriage and birth of her only child, Stratton-Porter continued her interest in nature but found very few books written about natural history. So she was forced to answer questions through her own research. To facilitate this activity, Stratton-Porter became a skilled photographer. Then when she started to write about her work, publishers were unsure about how marketable works of natural history were, so she began to write novels.

And the rest of the story, as they say, is history. Stratton-Porter's novels made her one of the best-selling authors of her time and that success allowed her to publish non-fiction works as well. In all of her works her unbridled love of nature takes center stage.

Many characters in Stratton-Porter's novels are based on real people, including Stratton-Porter herself. For example, in "Freckles," one of her best-known novels, one character is the bird woman who photographs birds and collects insects. Her first novel was "Song of the Cardinal" about a red bird that met a man named Abram, who was clearly based on Stratton-Porter's father.

Stratton-Porter wrote a scientific publication called "Moths of the Limberlost." In this book she points out that there is a difference between a naturalist and a nature lover. The naturalist "devotes his life to delving into stiff scientific problems…" while a nature lover "finds recreation in being out of doors and appreciating the common things of life as they appeal to his senses."

She concludes that scientific naturalists get lost in the details, such as the number of veins in a wing, and miss the big picture. For example, the issue about how moths that emerge from pupae buried in the soil get out of the ground. It is not the moth that crawls from the ground, as some of the literature of her day asserted. According to Stratton-Porter, moths were too fragile to crawl through the soil without showing obvious signs of the wear and tear of such activity. So, by observation, she discovered that the pupae worked its way from the soil using the pointed end of its abdomen. Once above the soil the moth emerged in much the same fashion as cicadas emerging from their immature shells.

Stratton-Porter describes the life cycles of some of the larger and showier moths of Indiana in "Moths of the Limberlost." Her descriptions included tales associated with capturing moths, collecting eggs and rearing caterpillars of moths known today as cecropia, emperor, tomato hornworm, io, underwings, polyphemus, regal, promethea and luna.

One of the most interesting tales is about a moth that Stratton-Porter's father called the Lady Bird. Mentioning that name today brings up thoughts of an insect--a ladybird beetle. But Stratton-Porter's parents thought this moth was a bird similar to the hummingbirds that were hovering before the flowers in search of nectar. But Stratton-Porter was not convinced that the creature was a bird. Her primary reason for this conclusion was that, try as she might, she could not follow the creature to its nest. Then she noticed that the Lady Bird had four wings--not very bird like. Finally, she was able to capture one of the creatures and prove to both of her parents that it was a moth and not a bird. That day-flying moth is one we know today as a white-lined sphinx moth.

Moths play a prominent role in Stratton-Porter's "Girl of the Limberlost." In that novel, a young woman named Elnora Comstock collects moths to sell as a way to pay for her schooling. An activity, by the way, that Stratton-Porter found was useful for putting extra cash in her pocket. Stratton-Porter and her character Elnora Comstock both collected moths by sugaring. This process involves putting a sweet mixture on a tree limb to attract moths feeding during the night hours. So, because birds are day active and most moths are night active, it might make sense to say that Stratton-Porter was the "Bird Woman" by day and the "Moth Woman" by night!



Writer: Tom Turpin
[email protected]
Editor: Olivia Maddox
[email protected]

Randy Lehman and the Indiana Dunes Birding Festival

5/11/2015

 
by Alexandra Forsythe


The inaugural Indiana Dunes Birding Festival took place over the weekend, and Limberlost’s own Randy Lehman was asked to be a featured speaker at the event. Over 240 people attended the conference and Randy had a packed crowd, eager to learn more about Gene Stratton-Porter and Limberlost.

Randy spoke passionately about Gene’s life, her work, and all that the Friends of the Limberlost have done to keep her work alive and relevant in today’s world. He shared with them Limberlost’s unique programs and example-setting restoration efforts. He discussed the Herculean efforts of the Friends of the Limberlost and their dedication to preserving Gene’s legacy.

The audience was captivated by the information Randy provided, not only about Gene’s life and work, but by the flora and fauna that have returned to the Limberlost. They were thrilled to see that the area was transformed from drained croplands to a now-rare wetland. It is returning to the state it was in when Gene was writing about it: beautiful and full of life. The attendees were awestruck by the amount of work that has gone into the restoration efforts, and although they all live hours away in the Chicago area, several of them are planning trips to visit Limberlost and they inquired about lodging in the area. 

I have attended Randy’s presentations before, but each time I hear him speak, I learn something new. He is so knowledgeable and has so much to teach us, it is impossible to fit into one program. Every time, I learn more and gain a deeper appreciation for Gene, the Limberlost restoration and the Friends’ work.

Randy is a dedicated spokesperson for Gene and Limberlost. We are fortunate to have such a sought-after speaker available to spread the word, not only near Geneva, but across the midwest. 


Chestnut-Sided Warbler

5/4/2015

 
Picture
By Alex Forsythe 
 
I love this photo, mostly because of the memories and emotions that accompany it. This little Chestnut-sided was one of the happiest birds I've encountered. It was early morning and I had just finished my chores. I decided to celebrate and reward myself with a quick walk around the yard before diving into my textbooks. The weather was perfect. The sun was shining brightly, and there was a slight breeze. I soon found that I was not the only one celebrating. In front of me, this warbler seemed to be dancing in celebration, not even stopping for a bite to eat. His bright eyes and happy demeanor brightened my day more than the sunshine. We celebrated together for a while, reveling in the perfect day. He made me smile from ear to ear then, and I still smile every time I look at his photo.

When gathering together photos to use for Alexandra's Outreach (our series of programs for Amish, public and private schools at Limberlost State Historic Site), this was the first photo I chose. This little bird deserved to be admired for his wonderful attitude, and I hoped he would bring the students joy. He has. The children enjoy hearing about him and learning about the many ways he and our other feathered friends help us. After the program, most of the children want to learn more about the ways they can help birds and their habitats. I can think of no better tribute to the little bird that outshone the sun!

We are fortunate to see Chestnut-sided Warblers in Indiana. It is rumored that they were rarely seen during the lifetime of John James Audubon; people believe that Mr. Audubon only saw one once.

For your best chance of spotting the Chestnut-sided, look for them in overgrown shrubs and bushes at the edge of a woods. To determine when to start searching for them in your area, you can use this animated map that tracks the Chestnut-sided Warbler's movements: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/occurrence/chestnut-sided-warbler/  You'll note that their migration patterns differ in spring and fall. In the spring, they approach from Texas. When they head south, they travel further east, hugging the coastline into Florida.

The Chestnut-sided has other interesting behaviors, as well. They have two styles of song: accented-ending and nonaccented-ending. According to a study done by the University of Massachusetts ("Geographic variation of song form within and among Chestnut-sided Warbler populations", Byers 1996) the type of song depends on the bird's location and mated status.  Accented-ending songs are used when the male is stationary, securely within his own territory or when interacting with females. The unaccented song is used when the bird is near the border of the territory, near other males, or when the bird is in motion. Of course, males singing only unaccented songs had difficulty attracting mates.

Additional interesting behaviors are displayed during courtship. In December of 1965, the Wilson Bulletin discussed the results of a research project that studied the courtship behavior and territorial defense of Chestnut-sided Warblers compared to that of Redstarts, Yellow Warblers and Black-throated Green Warblers ("Comparative ethology of the Chestnut-sided Warbler, Yellow Warbler and American Redstart", Ficken 1965). There were several differences in behavior among the species, and the Chestnut-sided particularly stood out. While the other warblers had frequent territorial disputes, male Chestnut-sided Warblers were more friendly and sociable. They were observed feeding closely together - as little as ten feet apart - even while establishing territories in the spring. When a territorial dispute did occur, their actions were very different from those of the other warblers. While the other warblers had an intense, ritualized pattern of behavior involving circling, chasing, displaying and sleeked postures to chase away opponents, Chestnut-sided Warblers seemed to be more civilized. The male that was defending the territory rarely initiated a chase. Instead, the invader would realize he had trespassed and voluntarily fly away, while the original owner pursued the trespasser only to the spot where the invader had been perched. It's as if the owner of the territory politely told the invader that he was sitting in his chair, the invader apologized and vacated the seat, and the owner simply reclaimed his chair. 

I must say that the results of the study didn't surprise me. Chestnut-sided Warblers always seem cheerful, so their civility even when defending their territory fits their happy-go-lucky attitude. 

On your next perfect day, head outside and celebrate with a Chestnut-sided Warbler. You'll be glad you did!

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    The volunteers and staff of Limberlost

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