The Mission to Understand

The primary goal is to educate people to all of the wonders of nature and the ecosystems of New England. We want to share and allow other people to engage in the natural observable world around us, and get outside and discover for themselves the millions of species that we take for granted, and the unbelievable about of biodiversity that exists on this planet.

I focus on the belief that the best way to learn is through scientific observation and hands-on experimentation.  I think that the current main-stream learning paradigm is flawed an outdated and has strayed far from sensory based methodologies of teaching.  It’s time to get back into tactile, kinesthetic learning modalities that allow people to experience nature up close with touch and feel, and investigate and document what they see.  This method of embodied mind and senses is without question the most comprehensive and lasting imprint learning modality .

OUR PROMISE

While we often work with live specimen and do sometimes keep live specimen to study, preserve, and photograph, we release at least 75% of all raised, geographically relevant, insects back into the wild. We hope that the photographs and specimen that we do keep help to educate people on all of there is to learn and study.

About Me

MY NAME IS Shayne Flaherty

I started collecting insects in 2005 after taking a summer course in entomology in Washington, CT. I began studying and rearing Saturniids in 2016 here at our farm in Salmon Brook, CT. I have been digging in the mud, flipping tidepool rocks, and rolling woodland logs since televisions had antennae. I now try to teach my children about the natural world and all the amazing things there are to discover. I suppose I was always a trashbag-outdoorsy-nerd, it just took me a long time to realize it and I am so happy to have found a community that appreciates it.