[Leps-l] ABF presentation on over 500 Faunal Surveys at the Wildflower Center - Monday, Apr 28th @ 7pm Central

[Mike Quinn]

Greetings,

Val Bugh will be Austin Butterfly Forum's April speaker. This meeting will
be a joint in-person meeting at Zilker Botanical Gardens and broadcast live
via Zoom.

*Date*: Monday, Apr 28th @ 7pm central time zone, (Dallas/Chicago time)

*Title*: The Fauna Project

*Description*:

Gardens are more than collections of plants; they are dynamic ecosystems.
Through a program of weekly surveys initiated in early 2010 and now
totalling over 500(!) surveys, a group of nature-loving volunteers has been
consistently recording data on the animals found within the Lady Bird
Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin, TX. From inception to the vast number
of identifications and observations accumulated, this program tells the
story of The Fauna Project. Photography is an important tool in this study,
so there is no dearth of colorful images to highlight the insects, spiders,
birds, reptiles, etc. and their behaviors. Take a close look at the biome,
glimpse some of the diverse residents in an organically cultivated native
plant habitat and see why variety is the spice of life.

*Bio*:

Val is a most extraordinary self-taught naturalist, web designer, macro
photographer, instructor, artist and musician!!

Val specializes in the arthropods of the Austin area, with interests in
taxonomy, ecology and photography. Her current activities include running
The Fauna Project at UT, Austin's Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center,
leading insect discovery walks, teaching community/outreach entomology
courses, providing insect/spider identifications, giving slideshow talks to
local organizations, and studying the wildlife here in Travis county. Her
photos have appeared in various books and other publications, and she is
the author of folding waterproof pocket guides to "The Butterflies of
Central Texas," "Unusual Insects of Texas," "Spiders of Florida" and
"Spiders of Texas," as well as spider guides for other SE states. Val is a
member of the Austin Butterfly Forum, and sometimes participates in
activities with the Capital Area Master Naturalists (of which she is an
honorary member).

Additionally, Val maintains a most helpful local insect website called
Austin Bug Collection <http://www.austinbug.com> and is a significant
contributor to both the Moth Photographers Group <
https://mothphotographersgroup.msstate.edu/VGIndex.shtml> and to BugGuide <
https://bugguide.net/user/view/2893>

For those of us fortunate enough to have learned from Val, most of us
consider her to be something of a national treasure!!

*Zoom Link*: bit.ly/3DdDss8 (should open ~6:30 pm central time) - We should
have the zoom kinks worked out this time!!

(This meeting will be recorded for those still immersed in iNat
activities!!)

Thank you for your interest!!

Mike Quinn
San Marcos TX
512-577-0250 - text
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