More Creatures

A couple of posts ago I highlighted some of the night time creatures that came in to my black light set-up. It was in a hardwood forest clearing away from any lights, at Rondeau. To see the way my set-up looked, and to see the non-moth critters that visited me, check it out here.

To finish this topic off, at least for now, I will highlight the moths that I was able to capture on digital film. I know I missed some shots, since focusing in very low light is a challenge for the camera. But overall I was pleased with the diversity of moths I was able to capture. I was able to identify quite a few on my own, using the Peterson Field Guide to Moths of Northeastern North America by David Beadle and Seabrooke Leckie, but some were just too much of a challenge and so I got some assistance via the on-line database known as BugGuide.

Some came to the light itself.

Garden Webworm Achyra rantalis

Chickweed Geometer Haematopis grataria

Purple-backed Cabbageworm Evergestis pallidata

Large Yellow Underwing Noctua pronuba

 There were lots of this next one, Caddisflies, which are actually moth look-a-likes. I'm sure there are different species, but apparently caddisflies are notoriously difficult to identify to species from a photo alone.

But the majority came to the lit up sheet, and were easier to shoot with the camera.

Common Idia Idia aemula

Definite Tussock Moth Orgyia definita

Double-striped Scoparia Scoparia biplagialis

Many moths are fairly drab, as you can see, but being active primarily at night, they don't need a lot of colour, at least not the kind that we can see. However there are some that are much more brightly coloured, such as this next one. It looks a bit like a bird dropping. There are some moths known as bird dropping types, but this one does not go by that name.

 Beautiful Wood-Nymph Eudryas grata

 These next two are actually the same kind, but show some variation in their colouring.

Gold-striped Leaftier Machimia tentoriferella

Grateful Midget Elaphria grata

Flowing-lined Snout Hypena manalis

Green Cloverworm Hypena scabra

 One of the brightest ones I came across is this next one.

Scarlet-winged Lichen Moth Hypoprepia miniata

Ambiguous Moth Lascoria ambigualis

Master's Dart Feltia herilis

Chestnut-marked Pondweed Parapoynx badiusalis

Plume Moth sp.

These next two are also the same kind, Pondside Crambid Elophila icciusalis, but show some variation in colour.

Faint-spotted Palthis Palthis asopialis

Water Lily Leafcutter Elophila obliteralis

Spotted Grass Moth Rivula propinqualis

Pyrausta bicoloralis Bicolored pyrausta

All of these moths are fairly small, as you can tell by the size of the weave of the cotton sheet. I do hope to get out much earlier in the season next year with the hopes of attracting some of the big silkworm moths. But regardless, one never knows what might show up at a black light. I have had some success in my own back yard, which is well away from any real natural area although I have planted trees and native wildflowers to make it more appealing to some local wildlife. It has always been worth the effort to get to know some of the lesser known creatures that inhabit nearby areas.