Issue 8 - American Chestnut Moth
MONTHLY ART:
MY OWN KIND OF BEAUTIFUL - THE HOATZIN
Many nature lovers of America know the sad story of the American chestnut tree. Once a major food source for both humans and fauna alike far back into North America’s eastern history, the American Chestnut tree is considered extinct through almost all its old territory due to a blight carried by invasive Japanese Cherry trees in the early 1900s. Individual trees remain here and there. Ongoing efforts by arborists to produce cross-bred American chestnut trees with other chestnut species also exist.
But there are no more ocean-like expanses of chestnut trees in the eastern American forests like there once was, and many species dependent on the big, beautiful branches with their plentiful sweet nuts have gone extinct as a result.
One species that has made a surprising comeback, however, is the American Chestnut Moth. In more recent history, the genetics of this tiny night-flier have been discovered in the populations of Zimmermannia bosquella throughout their habitat of Ohio, Kentucky, and Virginia. The two species are now considered conspecific. The American Chestnut Moth found a way to pivot and continue seeking moon glow.
Learn about more about the American Chestnut Moth and finding your way in dark times over at the Beastie and Bone Patreon:
www.patreon.com/beastieandbone
NEWS:
Beastie and Bone is now a member of the Craft Guild of the Southern Highlands!
After taking part in the inaugural mentorship program run by the Craft Guild of the Southern Highlands last fall, I applied for the jurying process over the last few months, and was accepted! So on October 1st, I travelled to beautiful Asheville to attend the new members’ meeting for this nearly 100-year-old fine craft establishment at the beautiful Folk Art Center in the Blue Ridge Parkway that connects multiple National Parks and National Forests in the southeast.
As a member of the Guild, I will be participating in their shows, markets, and gallery events moving forward, and I’m so excited to have more ways for my paper art to be visible in person and contribute to fine handmade work in the area I now call home.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
Beastie and Bone Fall 2026 Collection Release
Coming soon! Sign up for email notifications at beastieandbone.com so you don’t miss out on limited time items and original paper works
Knox Small Press Fest Publisher’s Fair
Oct. 10th and 11th
1pm - 3pm
Emporium Center, Knoxville TN
A New Collector’s Edition print limited-time print release is coming!
Are you ready?
NATURAL HISTORY FACT:
While the blight that killed off nearly every American chestnut tree is still around, making searching for existing trees that haven’t been affected difficult, it does have a silver lining. The fungus of this blight, Cryphonectria parasitica, does not rot the roots of the trees it infects.
As a result, new growth from long-dead Chestnut trees has been documented. New trees growing from the same set of old roots are called root suckers. A similar process, when new trees grow up from an old stump, is called coppicing and is used in forestry to regrow damaged areas of forests, though it would not be effective in restoring American chestnut trees.
RECOMMENDED:
The Overstory by Richard Powers
An intricate novel following the diverse life threads of nine Americans — a tech prodigy, a biologist, a childless couple, an activist, and more — whose interactions with trees change the trajectories of their lives. The trees themselves become a kind of character, as well, affecting the humans’ almost as if they too have tapped into the shared network of roots and branches. Or were they invited in? For adult readers.
Learn more about The Overstory at richardpowers.net
NEW IN:
You’re the first to know! The Beastie and Bone Collectible Mystery Bundles have just launched.
Made up of retired single-run miniprints and stickers from the Beastie and Bone Patreon and Happy Mail Club, the Collectible Mystery Bundles combine the excitement of exclusive items with the fun of classic blind-bag collectables with a hopeful, paleoart, natural-history twist.
New designs will be added to the rotation monthly! What species and words of encouragement will you receive?
Shop now at beastieandbone.com —>
IN THE STUDIO:
Here’s a sneak peek at the star of the upcoming Fall 2026 Collection, a prehistoric bison skull wreathed in dried milkweed and fluttering monarchs. This will be available as an illustrated print in both open editon and limited-time Collector’s Edition Metallic Foil variants!
DISCOUNT:
Monthly discounts are exclusive to those who receive the print version of The Beastie and Bone Snippet though the B+B Happy Mail Club or select tiers of the B+B Patreon.