Grasshoppers of the Monument - Saturday Excursion

We will meet at 9:00 at the Rite Aid in Ashland and make our way into the Monument from there. Carpooling is optional but encouraged.

The field trip will teach participants how to catch/handle grasshoppers and will also provide hands-on identification techniques. To practice identification, the field trip will have grasshopper sorting activities, creating further opportunities for people to practice their identification skills. We will visit two sites along Shale City Road which are close in proximity, but show differences in the number and variety of grasshoppers in which they contain. Participants will be encouraged to make comparisons among these sites, thinking about how environmental factors may explain these differences.

Joe Baures is a Southern Oregon University graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Biology. During his undergraduate studies, Joe conducted specialized research on grasshopper biodiversity within the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument, contributing valuable insights into the region’s ecological complexity. Currently working at Jackson County Vector Control District, Joe performs research on mosquito species of Southern Oregon. As a Board Member for the Friends of Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument, Joe is excited to share his passions for entomology and ecology with members of the public, bringing awareness to the unique species of grasshoppers that call the Monument home.

Jacob Youngblood, PhD, Biology, is an assistant professor at Southern Oregon University whose studies mainly focus on the impacts climate change has on insects. As an animal physiologist and ecologist, Dr. Youngblood utilizes grasshoppers as a model system to further understand and predict these impacts, performing laboratory experiments, field research, and computational modeling. Dr. Youngblood has spent countless days out in the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument performing novel field research on grasshoppers in the region. With limited research done before him, Dr. Youngblood has provided meaningful discoveries surrounding grasshopper biodiversity in Southern Oregon, furthering our knowledge of these relatively understudied insects in our area. With his dedication to grasshopper research and public education, Dr. Youngblood is eager to share his knowledge with others, creating further appreciation and understanding for the magnificent organisms that can be found within the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument.

This Eventbrite is for the Saturday Excursion ONLY. Register for the Friday Night Talk

The Friends of Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument's mission is to support the protection, restoration and conservation of the Monument through service, advocacy and education. Our Hike and Learn programs are designed to introduce the public to different topics and locations within the Monument. Hike and Learns are co-created with local scientists, historians, artists, students, and more.

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