wendyrobins's Journal

My porch still supplies me with ample varieties of arthropods even after 10 years. Almost every night I discover new species that I haven't before. I don't use special lighting just a fluorescent bulb. I leave the light on about an hour and then I just poke my nose out the door and sees who shows up. Sometimes I get some bigger species like longhorned beetles and some of the medium sized moths ( I don't know what I would do if a cecropia moth showed up or any of the bigger silk moths) My largest insect to show up was a spring fishfly over 5 years ago but no matter how many or how small I always get something new

For the last year or so I find myself fascinated by the amount of species I have found just by looking around my house. I live in an urban area however do have a naturalized area with wetlands and forest less than 2KM away but still. I rarely get to visit areas away from the city as I do not drive but this has not stopped me from enjoying the nature available to me. One does not need to go very far to find the beauty in nature but than to open our hearts to what's already there. Try taking a few days of leaving ones porch on and seeing what shows up or sit in your gardens and see what creatures show up. You'd be amazed at what you can really find if you take the time to look