Friday, July 17, 2015

Pale beige moth

The spot where I usually find moths, the wall beside our front door, has been abandoned. I haven't seen a moth there for months. It's too hot there this summer, maybe. Instead, I find them in cool spots; hiding in my potting shelf, in my bathroom, deep in the rhododendrons. This one was behind the hose when I went out to water the gardens.

Interesting antennae; notice how they fold down into a V. Sometimes he holds them flat.

He looks worried. No need.

Waving the antennae, uncoiling his proboscis; "I'm thirsty!" he says.

He was a very active moth, even after two long sessions in the fridge, and the photo session went on and on as he rambled about. When it was over, I gave him a few drops of water with a pinch of sugar. He drank with the proboscis in the water, tipping his head from side to side the whole time, as if to look at the droplet with one eye, then the other. I've never seen a moth do that before.

I'll send him in to BugGuide in the morning. I've looked at 1,000 of their 171.475 photos of moths, and gave up. So many moths, and all so different! I know they say the beetles are God's favourite beastie, but I think moths come second in his heart.

Update: BugGuide has identified him as Speranza lorquinaria, Lorquin's Angle.



2 comments:

  1. As my daughters would say, Awww, what a cutie, particularly the second picture. I found the detail on the proboscis particularly neat. He probably liked the fridge, if all the moths are seeking out cool spots there.

    ReplyDelete
  2. The first thing which caught my attention as the picture came up was, indeed, the antennae.

    ReplyDelete

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