We talk with Dr. Marc Epstein, Senior Insect Biosystematist at the California Department of Food and Agriculture for Lepidoptera, about moths and their taxonomy. Dr. Epstein has worked for the last twenty two years at the Plant Pest Diagnostics Center in South Sacramento and is also a Research Associate at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History. While identifying Lepidoptera of potential threat to agriculture, he researches their evolution and classification with an emphasis on the moth family Limacodidae, and the history of entomologists who were his predecessors. He is author of “Moths, Myths, and Mosquitoes: The Eccentric Life of Harrison G. Dyar, Jr.”, published in 2016 by Oxford University Press.
What is KZYX The Ecology Hour?
The Ecology Hour features in-depth interviews with experts on every facet of Mendocino County's diverse and spectacular natural world. Rotating hosts include Environmental Educators Hannah Bird and Sue Coulter, Scientists Bob Spies & Tim Bray, and Trail Steward Chad Swimmer.