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False Crocus Geometer
This last day of National Moth Week I’m bringing you the False Crocus Geometer (Xanthotype urticaria). They can be found from Nova Scotia to southern British Columbia, south to Colorado and Georgia. Host plants of this moth include Red Osier Dogwood, Ground Ivy, Catnip, Rhodora and Goldenrods. The larvae look much like little branches or…
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Black and Yellow Lichen Moth
A moth that flies during the day, diurnal. A Black and Yellow Lichen Moth (Lycomorpha pholus). Though the name implies the color yellow you can see that this one, above, is reddish-orange along with the striking black with a subtle blue sheen. Many of this species of moth come in shades of not just yellow…
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Cherry Scallop Shell Moth
Cherry Scallop Shell Moth (Rheumaptera prunivorata) looking like someone all set to go to the office donned in their favorite warm woolen herringbone business suit. Or perhaps it looks like my tiger-striped kitty that I had when I was little. Tinker. But these wavy stripes are quite distinctive even for a moth. This moth is…
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Scarlet-winged Lichen Moth
A moth today, in honor of National Moth Week which is July 17th to the 25th. This one, another night flyer who will come to your porch if you leave the light on, Scarlet-winged Lichen Moth (Hypoprepia miniata). Its length is .6 inch to .8 inch. And as the name implies, it’s a mighty pretty…
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Curve-toothed Geometer
Another nod to moths in celebrating National Moth Week (July 17-25, 2021). This moth photo was in my immense file of moth images, unidentified. Many of you might know, I love a mystery and last night I looked upon this critter as one of those mysteries. Luck was with me and I was able to…
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Lesser Maple Spanworm Moth
Yesterday a dear friend let me know that we’re in the middle of National Moth Week (July 17-25, 2021). I had no idea such a thing existed! But now, with that in mind, I present the Lesser Maple Spanworm Moth (Speranza pustularia). Like many moths, this one is nocturnal and is attracted to porch lights.…
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Variegated Fritillary
Unlike other Fritillaries, that exclusively use native Violets as their host plant, the Variegated Fritillary depends on many plants as its host plant including those Violets and also Passion Vine, Pansy, Purslane, Mayapple, Flax, and others. The Variegated Fritillary has a “long” life as an adult compared to some other butterflies, living between two and…
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Spicebush Swallowtail Caterpillar
Several days ago I wrote about the adult Spicebush Swallowtail (Papilio troilus). The caterpillar of that beautiful butterfly has an impressive set of eyespots giving the caterpillar the look of a small snake which protects it from predators. The actual eyes are quite small, about the size of a pinpoint, located down the head, close…
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Silvery Checkerspot
Warm sunlight shining through a tiny butterfly wing. Capturing this view of the wings was a challenge. A view that this little critter didn’t want to share. But seeing this, the underside of the wings, makes identification easy. Silvery Checkerspot (Chlosyne nycteis) on Apple Mint (Mentha suaveolens). In this view the hindwing is pale with…
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Giant Swallowtail
Having a wingspan up to seven inches, this butterfly certainly earns the name Giant Swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes). It also holds the title of largest butterfly in North America. The larval host plants of Giant Swallowtails consist of many trees in the citrus family including, here in Virginia, the Common Hop Tree (Ptelea trifoliata). These caterpillars…