How to Register and Pay for the SLS 2026 Annual Meeting

To attend the Southern Lepidopterists' Society (SLS) 2026 Annual Meeting, download the registration form from the meeting announcement on southernlepsoc.org, complete it, and submit it before the March 21, 2026 registration deadline. Payment can be made through the TLS site linked in the announcement, or handled via the arrangements described there for larger expenses (ATL checks coordinated by Keith Willmott) and incidental volunteer costs (tracked by Jeff Slotten).

Key Details at a Glance

Step-by-Step Registration

1. Go to the meeting announcement on southernlepsoc.org. The 2026 Annual Meeting post contains the logistics, the registration form, and the Call for Papers.
2. Download the registration form. The announcement lists it as "Registration Form (downloadable)."
3. Complete the form with your attendee details and return it as instructed on the form itself. The announcement does not spell out a separate submission address, so follow the form's own directions.
4. Submit before March 21, 2026. This is the stated due date for registration; plan to send it earlier so any questions about payment can be resolved in time.
5. Confirm your plans for the Friday–Sunday schedule. Scientific talks run Friday afternoon (optional) and Saturday morning through afternoon, with blacklighting and moth-collecting welcomed every night.

How to Pay

The announcement offers more than one path, depending on what you are paying for:

• Standard registration payment: Use the TLS site link provided in the announcement ("You can also make your payment on the TLS site here").
• Larger anticipated expenses: Keith Willmott has offered to act as the "single payer" for larger expenses via ATL checks. If your situation involves a larger shared cost, coordinate with him rather than paying separately.
• Volunteer incidental expenses: Jeff Slotten keeps track of SLS and ATL volunteers' incidental costs, such as veggie trays and miscellaneous supplies. If you are volunteering and buying supplies, route those expenses through him.

The announcement does not publish a registration fee amount, so check the registration form or the linked payment page for the current figure before sending payment.

Submitting a Paper

If you want to give a scientific talk, download the "Call for Papers" document from the same announcement and follow its instructions. Talks are scheduled for Friday afternoon (optional) and Saturday morning and afternoon. Submitting through the Call for Papers is separate from registering, so do both.

Practical Notes for Attendees

• Venue change: The meeting is at Cuscowilla because the McGuire Center (MGCL) is temporarily closed for renovations. The site is off-campus, about 10 miles south of Gainesville.
• Mothing: Blacklighting and moth-collecting are welcomed nightly, and the new moon falls on April 16–17, 2026, which favors dark skies. Vaughn Shirey from MGCL will help with communal light sheets.
• Local fauna: Cuscowilla's Lepidoptera were the subject of a 2025 study by SLS-ATL specialists, published in the August 2025 issue of Southern Lepidopterists' News—useful background reading before you go.
• Volunteering: Organizers plan to circulate a volunteer sign-up sheet over the winter for specific tasks. Watch the site if you want to help.

Common Pitfalls

• Missing the March 21 deadline. The announcement states it plainly; late forms risk not being counted.
• Paying the wrong way for your expense type. Registration goes through the TLS link, larger shared costs through Keith Willmott's ATL check arrangement, and volunteer incidentals through Jeff Slotten.
• Assuming the McGuire Center venue. The 2026 meeting is at Cuscowilla, not MGCL.
• Waiting on lodging or travel questions. For venue-specific questions, the announcement names Jamie Bass at Cuscowilla as the 2026 contact.