Tag Archives: moths

My Home is my Castle

Posted on July 23, 2014 by the roused bear

I saw these dogbane moth caterpillars the other day. They use silk to bind some leaves together in a loose structure, then surround that area by a nearly invisible network of silk.  While I was watching, I saw a parasitic … Continue reading →

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A Mouthful of Moth

Posted on July 16, 2014 by the roused bear

This familiar bluet, Enallagma civile, had no trouble flying, even with a mouthful of moth. I think the prey was one of these:   Crambus agitatellus. I guess cuteness does not prevent you  from becoming a meal.

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The White-Lined Sphinx

Posted on September 16, 2013 by the roused bear

A number of people in and around Iowa have noted large numbers of white-lined sphinx moths flying around.  I haven’t been lucky enough to see a lot of them, but I have seen a few. Hyles lineata is very charming–it … Continue reading →

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Today’s Bug

Posted on June 25, 2013 by the roused bear

As I walked along the gravel road by my house today, I came across this tiny moth, a wasp mimic. I’m not sure what it is–possibly Synanthedon pyri.

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A Neat-Looking Moth

Posted on July 12, 2012 by the roused bear

This is one of the “crambine snout moths”, of which there are about 850 species in North America.  If I spent enough time looking at pictures I could probably come up with what it is. I photographed it on and … Continue reading →

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A Moth with Really Quick Reflexes

Posted on April 19, 2012 by the roused bear

We have had quite a number of lepidoptera out recently.  We have quite an outbreak of red admirals, but others are quite common as well.  A day flying moth, which I think is the celery looper, Anagrapha falcifera, is also … Continue reading →

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When a Moth Looks Like a Bee

Posted on April 16, 2012 by the roused bear

Yesterday in the very warm weather after the morning rain I saw one of my favorite day-flying moths.  This bumblebee mimic is a snowberry clearwing, Hemaris diffinis.  Because of the high winds it kept to the low-growing dandelions.    

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Autumn Moth

Posted on October 23, 2011 by the roused bear

The arrival of autumn has slowed my ability to take closeup photographs.  I have less light when I get home, and less time because I have to haul my son from football practice.  I am working on getting firewood cut and split–that … Continue reading →

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A Small Moth With a Big Nose

Posted on September 27, 2011 by the roused bear

I got a photograph of this small moth with a huge nose today.  It shouldn’t be too hard to identify, but as always I am short of time.  I will attempt it another day.

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Wound Up

Posted on September 24, 2011 by the roused bear

I took this photograph of an “exposed bird-dropping moth” today.  I found the coiled up proboscis to be kind of charming.  You do not see them in that position very often.  

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