Montgomery Parks

Moths get lit too but for them it has a totally different meaning! Male moths are super attracted to UV light. This is handy for the female moths, as their wings are brilliantly adorned with UV colors. While we can’t see it with our eyes, the male moths can, and it draws them closer. Meanwhile, the females sit and wait for a suitor to spot them and come over check them out. This works out great in a totally natural environment, but artificial light from our lightbulbs at night changes the game for them. The question of “Why are moths drawn to light bulbs?” is still being studied, but one prevailing theory suggests the UV that lightbulbs emit is the reason. While almost all bulbs produce some UV, some emit less than others. It turns out that yellow- or orange-colored LEDs attract fewer moths, and insects in general. These light bulbs still illuminate what we need to see, while not blinding male moths with UV. These bulbs are also kinder on our wallets. Want to help moths keep their rizz, and avoid the frizz from a hot lightbulb? Project Porchlight from Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection has got you! Swap your outdoor lights for FREE with insect-friendly and more cost-effective LEDs. Visit: https://lnkd.in/eA9idnYM to learn more. #NationalMothWeek

We are seeking a Tree Worker/Climber to be a part of our tree crew performing tree maintenance work on parkland across Montgomery County. This position provides opportunities to be a part of an innovative team of tree climbers and arborists and advance a career in the field of urban forestry through education, training and on the job experience. Apply by 7/29: https://lnkd.in/dTcwXacF

One easy way to help moths in your neighborhood is to simply count them. How? Take photos of them and post them to iNaturalist, an online database where everyday people around the world post photos of plants and wildlife. Scientists use this database to get an idea of the number of moths and what kinds can be found in distinct places, like Montgomery County. Did you know there are over 160,000 species of moth in the world with 11,000 of those existing in the United States? Start counting moths and learn more about how you can participate in #NationalMothWeek here: https://lnkd.in/e3ZPyQ2J

Turns out moths are choosy! Like butterflies, moths have host plants too. Their caterpillars (baby moths) need to be born on or near certain plants. The leaves give them shelter and food to eat. The adults need places to hide when they are at rest, and some need nectar from flowers. While each type of the 1,321 moths in Montgomery County has unique needs, there are some commonalities in the things they look for in their wild homes. Among those are oak trees! Oaks are a very important tree for many moths and butterflies. 436 types of caterpillars are found on white and black oak alone! Anywhere you live in Montgomery County, you have a moth habitat near you! Go outside to flitter like a moth, whether in your neighborhood or your local Montgomery Park. Then, comment with your “moth review” below. Happy #NationalMothWeek! To learn more about moths and how you can support them, visit: https://lnkd.in/e3ZPyQ2J

Our celebration of #NationalMothWeek continues! Which moth are you? All these moths are vibing in the sky this summer, each up to their own thing. Are you showing up for your hot moth summer, or hampering down in this heat? Fun facts! Rosy maple moths are active at night, but they still need a way to camouflage out of sight from their predators. Their colors both signal its toxicity at night and help it hide among the fruits of maple trees during the day. Hummingbird clearwing moths flitter about during the day looking for as much nectar as they can find. They mimic hummingbirds and do so a little too well—they beat their wings 75x per second. The rosy-throated hummingbird, on the other hand, beats at 10 to 80x per second. The agreeable tiger moth is one of the tiger moths whose caterpillar’s hair doesn’t sting *that* bad, hence its name. Nonetheless, it can irritate the skin, so it’s best to just look, and not touch! The wings of the luna moth have long “tails.” These spin in the sky while they fly. Bats use a form of sound detection called echolocation to hunt prey like luna moths. The bat makes a sound, listens for those sounds to bounce back to their ears, and then can figure out where in space the moth is. The luna moth’s spinning tails make these sounds bounce back in odd ways, causing the bat’s echolocation to be a lot less reliable! Feeling threatened? Simply play dead, like the salt marsh moths. They will stop and drop. If that doesn’t work, they will push out a stinky odor from their thorax and then use their wings to waft the stink in the threat’s general direction. Eastern tent caterpillars are the babies of a moth! Many moth caterpillars create silk out of special proteins in their saliva and spin it as one long thread with their mouthparts. Tent caterpillars use their silk to build large “tents” in cherry and crabapple trees. They spend the cold nights of the early spring here nestled with 100s of their siblings. Which moth do you identify the most with? Comment below! Learn more about #NationalMothWeek here: https://lnkd.in/e3ZPyQ2J

We are seeking a dynamic and well-rounded leader to serve as the Park Planning and Stewardship Division Chief. This position is responsible for planning for a large and diverse park system that includes long range master planning and conceptual site planning for parks and trails, real estate and acquisition management, stewardship of natural resources, and the stewardship and interpretation of cultural resources. Apply by 7/30: https://lnkd.in/eq8VsUa7

What was once an abandoned farm field has new life at Rachel Carson Conservation Park. Three years ago the Park Department’s Vegetation Ecology and Management Unit identified an opportunity to reintroduce biological diversity to these fields over run with non-native species such as Himalayan blackberry, Mile-a-minute, and stilt grass among many others. A seed mix of 31 species was planted and the non-native invasive species kept at bay while the planted species established. After three years of establishment care the newly restored meadow is a colorful palate of wildflowers that changes throughout the growing season. Currently, sunflower yellow and the pink of wild bergamot dominate the site, dotted by the deep blues of spiderwort, and the purple of New England aster and coneflower. In the spring, the site is lush green as the new growth of grasses surge in the warming weather, and the white blooms of penstemon flower above. In the fall, before the end of the growing season multiple species of golden rods will blanket the site. Throughout all these seasonal changes park visitors can enjoy the flight of colorful pollinators and the song of birds that call the restored meadow home. We continue to restore other sections of the meadow as resources allow with the hopes of converting all the abandoned agricultural fields into productive habitat for wildlife and the enjoyment of park visitors. Pictured here in order of appearance: Wild Bergamot or Bee Balm, Sunflower Yellow, Plan your visit to Rachel Carson Conservation Park: https://lnkd.in/ekiUFUiU

“Bruja” Is Spanish for witch. It’s also what people in some parts of the world think moths are. No doubt they are pure magic, but what are moths, really? Moths can be generalized as “butterflies of the night.” While there some important differences between the two, moths and butterflies are close “cousins.” They are SO similar that they are grouped into the same category, called Lepidopterans. They both: ✅ go through a baby form called caterpillars ☑️ have adults that either don’t eat or only eat nectar ✅ are important pollinators ☑️ have scales on their wings that make them fluffy and colorful ✅ use a lot of the same wild spaces Yet, moths don’t get *that* much attention. Why? Because most are out when we are asleep. #NationalMothWeek is a worldwide effort to bring some love to these misunderstood creatures. Join Montgomery Parks in celebrating moths this week! Look out for a post each day with special facts on moths and how we can be good neighbors to them. Image: Black witch moth (Ascalapha odorata) is a moth found in Montgomery County and is the subject of superstition in the US South and the Carribean. Photo credit to Thomas Brown, Wikimedia, remixed by Montgomery Parks.

It's Park and Recreation Month of course we're celebrating the people, spaces and programs that help create a sense of belonging at Montgomery Parks! Join us and the National Recreation and Park Association this month in exploring our incredible park system. Visit one of our 419 parks, 4 sparkling lakes, historic sites, or our extensive trails. There's something for everyone! How will you participate?

Fly into #FloraAndFaunaFriday with the Blue Jay – a familiar sight with its perky crest and striking blue, white, and black feathers! Did you know their blue feathers are actually brown under the surface, with the blue hue created by light scattering through specialized cells? Blue Jays are known for their noisy calls, which often give away their presence. They migrate in loose flocks along shorelines and silently across open areas in smaller resident flocks, flying with steady grace. Keep an eye on your feeders in the fall and winter—they prefer tray or hopper styles filled with peanuts, sunflowers seeds, and suet! And don’t be surprised to see them enjoying a drink from your birdbath! These intelligent songbirds aren’t just beautiful; they’re vital to our ecosystem. Their love for acorns helped spread oak trees after the last ice age! Curious to learn more intriguing facts about these clever birds? Check out: https://lnkd.in/eU_NPMX8 Source: Cornell Lab of Ornithology