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Insect monitoring (July - October)
- Culver's Root Borer Moth - help monitor this species at Algonac State Park and Pinckney Recreation Area. You will find a ratio of the number of "infested" stems of Culver's root to the number of total stems in a given area. The best time to do this is while Culver's root is in bloom in July.
- Red-legged Spittlebug - help monitor this species at any of the following parks and recreation areas: Pinckney, Waterloo , Algonac, Island Lake , Highland and Brighton . You will sweep a net back and forth while walking through native prairies and then look for this insect in your net. We need your help between mid-July and early September for this activity.
- Blazing Star Borer Moth - help monitor this species at any of the following parks and recreation areas: Algonac, Waterloo , Pinckney, Brighton or Island Lake . You will go out into prairie remnants that may contain the native blazing star wildflower, the host plant for the borer moth. Here you will attract moths to a black light, collect moths that resemble the blazing star borer moth, and send them to a DNR specialist for identification and verification. Collection takes place from dusk until about midnight . This opportunity works best with two or three people and requires one night of training and use of specialized equipment provided by DNR. This activity requires carrying a lot of equipment and may require walking a long distance. We need your help with black lighting on as many nights as possible in the last week of September and the first week of October.