Maandag Moth

De mot van vandaag is een ingetogen bruine Crambidae, Loxostege brunneittincta. Hoewel dit geen bijzonder boeiende mot is, heeft het wel een interessant verhaal dat de behoefte aan wetenschappelijke collecties en museumleningen illustreert. Als je de afbeelding op het etiket leest, zul je merken dat de mot oorspronkelijk werd verzameld in 1927 by E. P. Van . . . → Lees meer: Maandag Moth

Maandag Moth

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 . . . → Lees meer: Maandag Moth

Genius of the Press XXII

Terug van hiatus en terug naar de Genius van de Pers insect-nieuws-failure-serie! Vers van de pers van vorig jaar, het Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in het Verenigd Koninkrijk werd stilgelegd voor een massale besmetting van kleding motten. De hier getoonde van het beeld in “The Nation” verhaal is een verre schreeuw van een . . . → Lees meer: Genius of the Press XXII

Nationale Moth Week 2012

The first annual National Moth Week will be this summer, Juli 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 . . . → Lees meer: Nationale Moth Week 2012

A Copper Butterfly in Disguise

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, maar . . . → Lees meer: A Copper Butterfly in Disguise

Diversification of Moths with Teeth

Everyone is likely familiar with the standard model for a moth or butterflya 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 . . . → Lees meer: Diversification of Moths with Teeth

Busy as a Moth

That’s how the saying goes, rechts? 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 . . . → Lees meer: Busy as a Moth

Maandag Moth

Maroga setiotricha (Xyloryctidae)

 

Another huge Australianmicrolep”, (waarschijnlijk) Maroga setiotricha: Xylorictidaemeasuring 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 . . . → Lees meer: Maandag Moth

Sleutel tot de Lepidoptera van Canada

A few months ago a magnificent key to the Lepidoptera of Canada (all of them) was published by Jason Dombroskiea 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 yetbut the PDF is available online . . . → Lees meer: Sleutel tot de Lepidoptera van Canada

Maandag Moth

Gnophaela vermiculata pair

 

Deze maandag mot is een Arctiinae, Gnophaela vermiculata. These beautiful day flying moths were abundant on yellow Helianthus flowers around 9000′ in de Santa Fe National Forest, New Mexico. Rupsen voeden zich met boshyacinten, maar de volwassenen de voorkeur aan de hoogste kwaliteit nectar bron in het gebied – which fortunately makes . . . → Lees meer: Maandag Moth