Mechanical engineer with a life-long interest in science and nature, especially butterflies and moths. As a child in the midwest, I found giant silk moth cocoons, reared butterflies and moths from eggs and caterpillars, and spent summers exploring nature along railroad rights-of-way in the Chicago area. An interest in photographing butterflies and moths developed when digital photography made it convenient to take 10 bad photos for one good one. I was very active in the Illinois Butterfly Monitoring Network before moving to California in 2016. Now very much enjoying exploring the western butterflies and birds!