Ep. 13 Seeing the Light - moths & butterflies revealed. Dr. Michael Ochse in conversation

07/09/24 • 29 min

The East Africa Travel Podcast by Diary of a Muzungu

In episode 13, we go niche! When I moved to Uganda, one of my biggest fears was how I would cope with insects! Here at Sunbird Hill, Nature Monitoring and Rewilding Site, Kibale Forest, Uganda, on the edge of Kibale Forest, we see shiny green beetles with purple wings and swallowtail butterflies that are as big as your hand. Look at my social media now, and you'll see me holding a giant goliath beetle. It's clear I've put any phobia behind me for the bigger the creature, the more fascinated I am.

In this week's podcast I talk insects and moths with visiting entomologist Dr Michael Ochse of Pollichia, a German environmental organisation.

Listen to our conversation as I ask:

What makes Kibale Forest such a biodiversity hotspot?
How big is Papilio Antimachus - (pictured in my podcast artwork) - Africa's largest butterfly?How easy is it to identify a butterfly?
What makes Uganda such a good destination to travel around?
And lastly, what am I doing with hundreds of insects buzzing around me in the middle of the night?

Welcome to my world!

Tune in every week to The East Africa Travel Podcast for the dawn chorus, travel advice, chats with award-winning conservationists, safari guides, birders, lodge owners, and wacky guidebook writers.

Follow Charlotte Beauvoisin, Diary of a Muzungu on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.

In this week's podcast I talk insects and moths with visiting entomologist Dr Michael Ochse of Pollichia, a German environmental organisation.

Listen to our conversation as I ask:

What makes Kibale Forest such a biodiversity hotspot?
How big is Papilio Antimachus - (pictured in my podcast artwork) - Africa's largest butterfly?How easy is it to identify a butterfly?
What makes Uganda such a good destination to travel around?
And lastly, what am I doing with hundreds of insects buzzing around me in the middle of the night?

Welcome to my world!

Tune in every week to The East Africa Travel Podcast for the dawn chorus, travel advice, chats with award-winning conservationists, safari guides, birders, lodge owners, and wacky guidebook writers.

Follow Charlotte Beauvoisin, Diary of a Muzungu on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.

Previous Episode

Ep. 12 From the Treehouse to the Kenyan Coast - recap & sneak peek

In episode 12, we're in Kibale Forest, agog at the sight of chimpanzees. (You'll never guess where they are!) Listen in as 'Papa' Les Lloyd and I compare notes about our unexpected primate visitors. Then, I discuss my recent trip to Kenya and preview some of the upcoming episodes:

How many modes of public transport do I take on the long journey between Kampala, Uganda, and Mombasa, Kenya?
What are my personal highlights from our first episodes?
Who's up next? A sneak peek into conversations with experts on great apes (Ian Redmond OBE), parrots (World Parrot Trust), turtles (Diani Turtle Watch), monkeys (Colobus Conservation in Diani), and butterflies and moths (Mikhail Ochse, Pollichia).
And lastly, what's my most unusual location yet for recording the podcast? You gotta laugh!
Join me - Charlotte Beauvoisin, author of Diary of a Muzungu – as we hang out with cool people doing awesome stuff to protect our world.

Welcome to my world!

Tune in every week to The East Africa Travel Podcast for the dawn chorus, travel advice, chats with award-winning conservationists, safari guides, birders, lodge owners, and wacky guidebook writers.

Follow Charlotte Beauvoisin, Diary of a Muzungu on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.

Next Episode

Ep. 14 Village vibes in rural Uganda - a walking diary

In this week's episode, we take a short walk through the village bordering Kibale National Park. It's a lazy Sunday and everyone's in a good mood: drivers wave hellos and boys herd goats.

Do all white 'muzungu' women look the same? I giggle with my neighbour as he mistakes me (for a friend I do not resemble in the least).

Tune in to hear:

Friendly greetings on a gentle walk through the village.
Birdsong and the joy of being back in the forest at Sunbird Hill.
"Novel ways a podcast is promoting Ugandan tourism." The Sunday Monitor newspaper publishes a feature all about the East Africa Travel Podcast.
A preview of guests from upcoming episodes: Mzee Silver Kyamukama, a reformed poacher and local legend, and Ian Redmond OBE, renowned for his work with Dian Fossey and Sir David Attenborough.
Lastly, what time is elephant o'clock and what does it signal?

Welcome to my world!

Tune in every week to The East Africa Travel Podcast for the dawn chorus, travel advice, chats with award-winning conservationists, safari guides, birders, lodge owners, and wacky guidebook writers.

Follow Charlotte Beauvoisin, Diary of a Muzungu on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.