tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4866022460920878229.post7899761971031256782..comments2023-09-19T07:45:46.828-07:00Comments on The 52 Week Project: Week 13: GrizzliesStevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05171714081043183565noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4866022460920878229.post-31592953686560219602010-04-05T07:35:33.680-07:002010-04-05T07:35:33.680-07:00awesome post.. and I'm with Bob, he is probabl...awesome post.. and I'm with Bob, he is probably to get mauled someday. <br />Grizzly Man was an excellent yet disturbing documentary that everyone should watch.Tiffanie Lampasonahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12127459686838945427noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4866022460920878229.post-36490080338871610642010-04-03T11:33:13.533-07:002010-04-03T11:33:13.533-07:00Indeed.
Dittos here as well.
All of us should b...Indeed. <br /><br />Dittos here as well.<br /><br />All of us should be alert to compilations of information distributed to the public which lack<br />any verifiable transparency.<br /><br />Best,<br />TJKAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4866022460920878229.post-9371454346716623322010-04-02T16:34:01.365-07:002010-04-02T16:34:01.365-07:00TJK - first, meet my little brother (the budding n...TJK - first, meet my little brother (the budding naturalist with the excellent analysis above). I asked him to chime in on this, because he is far better than me at this sort of thing. As for your point on the simple facts, I couldn't agree more! When I wrote this, it was impossible to find any solid information on exactly what type of prolific, Yellowstone moth this could be. Thanks for reading and appreciate the discussion. SteveStevehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05171714081043183565noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4866022460920878229.post-3056565437251263022010-04-02T06:47:20.590-07:002010-04-02T06:47:20.590-07:00Excellent analysis!
It highlights the fact this...Excellent analysis! <br /><br /><br />It highlights the fact this discussion is limited to speculation primarily because the ordinary and common practice of a specific species name included with the general common name is absent from the referenced Yellowstone Article.<br /> <br /><br />If the "Miller Moth" is in fact equivalent to the Pygmy Blue Butterfly your numbers are well within range. If however, the "Miller Moth" is the equivalent of the Queen Victoria Birdwing Butterfly then 2 to 3 grams per individual is not a fanciful guesstimate.<br /><br />The Colorado Extension Service offers this insight:<br /><br />‘Miller moth’ is the term given to any type of moth that is abundant in and around homes. <br /><br /><br />It is odd the simple facts (moth weight and scientific name) which would clarify the point of this article (moths are "Bear Food") is the hardest to acquire (anywhere!) and the least cited, (ditto anywhere) don't you think?<br /><br />Best,TJKAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4866022460920878229.post-88065506039293505902010-04-02T00:15:11.624-07:002010-04-02T00:15:11.624-07:00My two cents after running the numbers and doing s...My two cents after running the numbers and doing some ballparking:<br /><br />Miller moths are pretty average-sized moths. If an average-sized butterfly is 0.1 gram ( http://www.kidsbutterfly.org/faq/general/11 ) and we assume the same for the miller moth, we have:<br /><br />10 moths/gram = 280 moths/ounce = ~4500 moths/pound<br /><br />So, 40000 moths could very realistically be c. 10 pounds, which makes sense to me as a ballpark figure. Ten pounds of moths is a significant contribution to the diet of any grizzly. Obviously these calculations depend on how much we say a moth weighs, but I think 10-20/ounce is too high (that's 1-3 grams/moth!)..<br /><br />Based on other articles about grizzlies eating up to 90 pounds food/day and at times feeding on exclusively miller moths, also called army cutworm moths ( http://www.jstor.org/stable/3872725 ), I would guess that a grizzly could eat roughly 50-70 pounds of moths on a GREAT day.<br /><br />No offense, but I think 125-250 lbs/day is way too much.. Hope this is helpful.Dave Kurzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18411402384303696266noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4866022460920878229.post-28343213982193774192010-03-31T21:58:38.738-07:002010-03-31T21:58:38.738-07:00Understood. I read the article. Run the numbers.
...Understood. I read the article. Run the numbers.<br /><br />Best TJKAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4866022460920878229.post-24494769373163556562010-03-31T10:14:25.393-07:002010-03-31T10:14:25.393-07:00Source on the 40,000 moth stat is Yellowstone:
ht...Source on the 40,000 moth stat is Yellowstone:<br /><br />http://www.yellowstonepark.com/moretoknow/shownewsdetails.aspx?newsid=163 <br /><br />As for the weight, not sure how much an individual moth weights, but this is helpful: <br /><br />"Researchers estimate that in 30 days, a bear feeding extensively on moths can consume 47 percent of its annual energy needs. During peak feeding periods when moths are abundant, bears eat approximately 40,000 moths a day - equivalent to 20,000 kilocalories per day, or 38.5 Big Macs."<br /><br />http://trib.com/features/science/article_50192cad-95f8-5f03-87b7-1e49e73bd310.html<br /><br />So clearly this is their "beefing up" eating...Stevehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05171714081043183565noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4866022460920878229.post-11764170802425105172010-03-31T07:41:50.177-07:002010-03-31T07:41:50.177-07:0040,000 moths? How much does a moth weigh?
At a re...40,000 moths? How much does a moth weigh?<br /><br />At a reasonable count of 10-20 moths per oz that calculates out to 125 to 250 lbs in a day.<br /><br />That is good eating even for a large male in the 1000 lb range if you assume ideal capture conditions of (flocks? bevys? herds?)moths in a rock cave.<br /><br />Best,<br />TJKAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4866022460920878229.post-24566008822026320912010-03-28T21:19:45.293-07:002010-03-28T21:19:45.293-07:00Agree. Doesn't take much for a bear to lose i...Agree. Doesn't take much for a bear to lose its temper momentarily. Or even if it's just playing a game... one swipe is all it takes.Stevehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05171714081043183565noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4866022460920878229.post-6947899898649352652010-03-28T19:57:14.394-07:002010-03-28T19:57:14.394-07:00This dude is going to get mauled one day...I don&#...This dude is going to get mauled one day...I don't care...I'm calling it right now, even though I hope it never happens.Bobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16742120190999365875noreply@blogger.com