Scott Hayes, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter | [email protected]
You鈥檒l never think so much about the wonder of moths after Dr. Torah Kachur makes her presentation at the Dark Sky Festival this weekend.
The freelance scientist has some cool stories to share about how the insects can deflect bats鈥� echolocation to avoid predation at night. The idea actually came to her during her stay here for last year鈥檚 festival when she and her husband were simply thinking about the darkness.
鈥淲e were talking and I said, 鈥業t's so cool about all these adaptations that nocturnal animals have. I should talk about that,鈥欌�� Kachur said.
鈥淚 should talk about the evolution of nocturnalism, and all of the adaptations that these creatures have evolved over the eons 鈥� over the millennia, really 鈥� to survive at night where we know so little about because it's so hard to study.鈥�
She can and will talk about how birds navigate by the stars in order to migrate at night, another interesting evolutionary talent that is required for their survival. Avoiding daylight means avoiding other predators and other hazards.
While Kachur will offer a survey of foxes and owls and many other typical classic nocturnal creatures, she will also offer a glimpse into the lives of other animals that have had to adapt to nocturnalism for various reasons. If you鈥檝e ever had a bear foraging off the fruit trees in your yard at 3 a.m. then you鈥檒l understand that concept better.
She spoke of how grizzlies are becoming nocturnal due to human encroachment and also the changes in migration patterns of aquatic species because of interference with water bodies.
There鈥檚 also the 鈥渋nsect apocalypse.鈥�
What more appropriate place to discuss evolutionary biology than the Dark Sky Festival?
Even the concept of a dark sky preserve fits into how she has been preparing her presentation, though she might still be wondering if light pollution should come at the start or at the end.
Kachur ended up letting her own sense of wonder and awe of nature preside. Evolution is a force of nature, but she wants to draw attention to the little things that change over large periods of time, and what other forces make those changes necessary.
鈥淚 really thought about this, and the amazement of nature should predominate over what's wrong with it,鈥� she said.
鈥淚 want to inspire that awe, and then go, 鈥楾hese are all the cool, amazing things that nocturnal creatures do, and this is a problem that they're facing because of us.鈥� We鈥檙e coming at it with how amazing nature is and, oh, yeah, we're ruining it. We should really kind of get on that.鈥�
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