Not an uncommon moth, but a distinguished looking one. This is Catocala ilia (Erebidae) ((formerly Noctuidae)), and it feeds on a handful of Oaks. It came into my light over the weekend in Southern Illinois, down in the Trail of Tears State Forest. As with so many other moths this widespread species has a number . . . → Read More: Moth Portraiture
 2 comments - (Comments are closed)  Entomology  "Trail of Tears State Forest", Catocala, Entomology, Erebidae, Illinois, Lepidoptera, Moths, Noctuidae, Underwing
The local news for most of the eastern US and Canada has been aflutter (ha) recently with reports of the irruption of Vanessa atalanta – the Red Admiral butterfly. While this is a common occurrence every spring for these butterflies to migrate north from their overwintering grounds in the southern US, . . . → Read More: The Invasion of the Butterflies Share this! 3 comments - (Comments are closed) Entomology, Skepticism Butterflies, Entomology, Irruption, Lepidoptera, Midwest, Migration, Red Admiral, Skepticism, Spring
Today’s moth is an understated brown Crambidae, Loxostege brunneitincta. While this isn’t a particularly captivating moth it does have an interesting story that illustrates the need for scientific collections and museum loans. If you read the label image you will notice the moth was originally collected in 1927 by E. P. Van . . . → Read More: Monday Moth Share this! 3 comments - (Comments are closed) Entomology California Academy of Sciences, Entomology, Lepidoptera, Monday Moth, Moths, Paratype, Pests, Taxonomy
Back to the Monday Moth! This beautiful insect is Stiria dyari (Noctuidae) collected on a February trip outside of Cataviña, Baja California Mexico. I believe the host plants are still unknown, but all of the moths in the genus Stiria have these brilliant yellow forewings that help camouflage them on the stem . . . → Read More: Monday Moth Share this! One comment - (Comments are closed) Entomology Entomology, Lepidoptera, Mexico, Monday Moth, Moths, Noctuidae Back from hiatus and back to the Genius of the Press insect-news-failure series! Fresh off the presses from last year, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in the UK was shut down for a massive infestation of clothes moths. The picture shown here from “The Nation” story is a far cry from a . . . → Read More: Genius of the Press XXII Share this! Comments are closed Entomology Bad Science, Contest, Entomology, Genius of the Press, Humor, Lepidoptera, Moths The first annual National Moth Week will be this summer, July 23-29, 2012! This is the first event of its kind in the US (it has been popular in the UK for quite some time) and is an attempt to encourage people to head outside and explore their often overlooked moth fauna. The US has . . . → Read More: National Moth Week 2012 Share this! Comments are closed Entomology, Science News Citizen Science, Collecting, Conservation, Entomology, Lepidoptera, Microlepidoptera, Moths, National Moth Week, Photography For all intents and purposes this looks like a blue butterfly (as in subfamily Polyommatinae)… it’s very, very blue after all. But assumptions based on color would lead you down the incorrect road; as it turns out this butterfly is actually a species copper. There are subtle difference in wing shape and probably venation, but . . . → Read More: A Copper Butterfly in Disguise Share this! 2 comments - (Comments are closed) Entomology Arizona, Butterflies, Collecting, Entomology, Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae, Photography I’ve just returned from the annual Entomological Society of America conference in Reno, Nevada! It’s the largest meeting of its kind in the world, with over 4,000 attendees from all walks of insect research life. My interests are in the systematics, evolution and biodiversity talks – and I’ll try to recap a few of the . . . → Read More: Bugs in Reno: ESA 2011 Share this! One comment - (Comments are closed) Entomology, Skepticism Blogging, Convention, Entomology, Humor, Skepticism Everyone is likely familiar with the standard model for a moth or butterfly – a straw-like proboscis to reach nectar hidden within flowers. The vast majority of the Lepidoptera have diversified alongside the radiation of angiosperm plants, becoming one of the most diverse and abundant orders of life on earth. This paradigm however does not . . . → Read More: Diversification of Moths with Teeth Share this! One comment - (Comments are closed) Entomology Allopatric, Entomology, Evolution, Japan, Lepidoptera, Microlepidoptera, Micropterigidae, Moths, Speciation That’s how the saying goes, right? Two weeks ago I participated in the 5th annual National Geographic BioBlitz over in Saguaro National Park in Tucson, Arizona. It was a great excuse to get back into the field and it was the first time I collected Arizona in the fall. Temps were still pushing the mid . . . → Read More: Busy as a Moth Share this! Comments are closed Entomology Arizona, BioBlitz, Collecting, Conservation, Entomology, Lepidoptera, Moths, National Geographic, New Species |
Skepticism |
