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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 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 Maroga setiotricha (Xyloryctidae)
Another huge Australian “microlep”, (probably) Maroga setiotricha: Xylorictidae – measuring in at 60mm. With wings like this they must make formidable fliers. According to the Xyloryctinae Moths of Australia blog the larvae are stem borers into Acacia sp. (Mimosaceae). This specimen was collected in November of 1962 by Ed . . . → Read More: Monday Moth Share this! One comment - (Comments are closed) Entomology Australia, Entomology, Lepidoptera, Monday Moth, Moths A few months ago a magnificent key to the Lepidoptera of Canada (all of them) was published by Jason Dombroskie – a PhD student from the U. of Alberta. The program is available for windows users only so I haven’t had a good chance to explore it yet – but the PDF is available online . . . → Read More: Key to the Lepidoptera of Canada Share this! One comment - (Comments are closed) Entomology, Science News Butterflies, Canada, Entomology, Identification, Key, Lepidoptera, Moths Gnophaela vermiculata pair
This Monday moth is an Arctiinae, Gnophaela vermiculata. These beautiful day flying moths were abundant on yellow Helianthus flowers around 9000′ in the Santa Fe National Forest, New Mexico. Caterpillars feed on bluebells, but the adults prefer the highest quality nectar source in the area – which fortunately makes . . . → Read More: Monday Moth Share this! Comments are closed Entomology Collecting, Entomology, Lepidoptera, Monday Moth, Moths, New Mexico, Photography |
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