Another reason to be glad the earth is not flat

Moths!

Plume moth

What a dreary world it would be if we all had winter at the same time! Except for the Indian meal moths that come with my bird feed (and they don't count), I haven't seen a moth for two weeks. It's too cold, too wet. It's not going to get any better until spring. Moth season is over for BC. And this is the final "The Moth and Me" of the year.

• Seabrooke, at The Marvelous in Nature, over in Ontario, still had moths three weeks ago, plenty of them: Late fall moths. She doesn't expect many more this year.

Across the water in the UK, they're more or less at the same latitude; mothers there are shutting down, too.

• Martin, at Martin's Moths, in Yorkshire, UK, is giving up mothing for the winter. But he has a cheering newspaper clipping to "sugar the pill", in Goodbye to all that.
• Mark Skevington, at Skev's B. L. O. G., UK, in the absence of fresh moths, turns to Mothing Memories  The Palpita vitrealis is my favourite.
• Mark, in Views from the Bike Shed, UK has a Collection of Moths to share. Moths from years gone by.

All is not lost, however:

• From Bluedamsel Discovery, Ireland, we have Autumn Moths.
• Also in Ireland, Stuart, at Donegal Wildlife, features a moth that doesn't mind the cold, in Autumnal Moths.
• Charlie, at 10,000 Birds, not to be outdone in titling originality, posts Some Autumn moths from the UK There's no repetition in the moth selection; that's what counts.
• And from Northumberland, Stewart, the Winter Birder, comes home from a party to find Hallowe'en Moths.
• Steve, at Bedfordshire Wild; Chandos Road, Ampthill A moth trap in a small, mostly paved garden records 173 species.
• Essex Moths This blog has a revolving header photo; click and refresh to get a new and beautiful moth each time.

Bold-feathered grass moth

Across our southern border, in the US, the warm weather will hang on for a while; the mothers still hang out their sheets at night.

• Here's Ted, at Beetles In The Bush;  a White-tipped Black Moth demonstrates that he's as human and blind as the rest of us.
• Marvin, at Nature in the Ozarks, gives us Io Moth (Automeris io) Life Cycle and Melonworm Moth - Diaphania hyalinata (Tasselled like a tuque. I wouldn't have believed this one without a photo!)
• John, from A DC Birding Blog sent in A Salt Marsh, a Tussock, and a Black-bordered Lemon, Salloween: A Late October Moth, and Celery Leaftier
• Laura, at Natural Notes, has a nice photo of a Clymene Moth. She's moved; to follow her blog, go to the new link for Natural Notes
• Oh, Behave! A student biologist's reports on animal behaviour. For example;  Bat vs Moth. The arms race.
• Another Steve, at Blue Jay Barrens in Ohio; Buck Moth
• Emily in Texas, posting at What I learned today, has a series. Start here: Finding the caterpillars, and follow through to the end, here: They're Moths!
• Bill Murphy blogs on Fertanish Chatter. This is probably his favourite photo from this summer; "Flying Guys"

But the cold is catching up to them down there, too. Snowstorms are in the offing. Will there be moths to see in December? Of course there will! Spring is just beginning on the far side of the globe:

Looks like peacock feathers. Montana Six-plume moth.

• Here's Mike, straddling the equator, from Hacienda San Joaquin, Ecuador; Amazing moths in Vilcacamba
• Duncan, at Ben Cruachan, Australia, is Mothing again, and Mothing by the river.
• MaryAnn at Yarn Anomalies, in Australia, Heralds the Moths of November. And follow her link to the Bogong Moth. Love the name!
• William, at Esperance Fauna, Australia; a  Bag-shelter moth
• Joan, at Photographs from South Africa has Another Lovely Moth
• Mark Jason goes Birding in the Philippines; Alien moths in Dalton Pass
• 10 Amazing Moths with Multiple Personalities, on Environmental Graffiti. Just look at that last one, from Thailand. Amazing is right!

So, for us northerners, forget the winter blues and greys, the snows and rains! What is the internet for, if not for celebrating the whole globe? Moping is for flat-earthers.

White-shouldered House moth

This will be the last "The Moth and Me" for 2009.  The next one, March, 2010, will be hosted by Jason, at Xenogere. Send your submissions to jason AT xenogere DOT com by March 13th. And we're looking for hosts starting April, 2010; drop Seabrooke a note if you are interested.

(Photos taken in August, at Campbell River, Vancouver Island. Thanks, Seabrooke, for the IDs.)