Bees and butterflies may command much of the attention in the pollinating world, but some of nature’s work begins after darkness falls. Moths and other nighttime visitors carry pollen from plant to plant while much of the garden sleeps, and an upcoming program in Grants Pass will introduce residents to the species working the night shift.
Long after bees and butterflies have disappeared from the afternoon garden, pollination does not necessarily stop. Moths and other nocturnal insects emerge after dark, moving among plants and contributing to a biological process essential to natural landscapes and agriculture. Their lesser-seen role will take center stage in Grants Pass during an upcoming program presented by Oregon State University Extension Service and the Josephine County Master Gardeners.
“Nocturnal Pollinators” is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 19, from 1 to 3 p.m. in Room J-1 at Rogue Community College’s Redwood Campus, 3345 Redwood Highway. The public program will examine the insects active after sunset, the plants and environments they occupy, and the conservation of pollinating species whose activity largely escapes daytime observation.
Dave Kollen will lead the presentation, bringing experience in pollinator education, natural history and community science. Kollen serves as a Xerces Society Ambassador, participating in educational and outreach work connected with the organization’s focus on invertebrate conservation. He is also an Oregon Master Naturalist and a Master Melittologist Apprentice.
His work reaches beyond the classroom. Kollen has participated in the Pacific Northwest Bumble Bee Atlas, California Bumble Bee Atlas and Oregon Bee Atlas, community science projects devoted to gathering information about bee species and their distribution. He also contributes pollinator-focused articles to “Mahonia,” the newsletter of the Oregon State Federation of Garden Clubs.
The Sept. 19 class will venture into a side of pollination that receives considerably less public attention than the familiar daytime traffic of bees and butterflies. Participants will be introduced to the different groups of nocturnal pollinators and their importance within natural and agricultural environments, followed by a closer examination of moths, their history and remarkable diversity.
Conservation will share the program with natural history. Kollen will discuss measures that can help protect nocturnal pollinators and preserve the environments they require, connecting the insects encountered after dark with the larger network of plants, wildlife and habitat around them.
Moths will provide one of the program’s central subjects. Although commonly associated with porch lights and summer evenings, the group encompasses an extensive range of species with ecological roles that include pollination. Exploring that diversity will give participants a closer look at insects that are frequently present around homes, gardens and natural areas but are far easier to overlook than their daytime counterparts.
The program will also include an introduction to the Xerces Society and its conservation work, giving attendees additional context for the research, education and community science surrounding pollinating insects.
For gardeners, naturalists and residents simply curious about what occupies Southern Oregon landscapes after sunset, the class provides two hours devoted to a part of the natural world that often operates beyond ordinary view. No gardening background or specialized knowledge is identified as a requirement in the event announcement.
Additional information is available through the OSU Extension Service in Josephine County or by calling 458-291-7301.
Disability-related accommodation requests should be submitted by Sept. 11 to Frank Boothby at 458-291-7301 or frank.boothby@oregonstate.edu.