-- A FEW MOTHS FROM THE YARD --

A fresh Achemon Sphinx (Eumorpha achemon) resting on a branch in the front yard. The local host plant is wild grape (4 August 2007)

A tiny green Terloo Sphinx Moth (Proserpinus terlooii), one of two present at the time, nectars on verbena (24 July 2008)

A limacodid caterpillar (Isa schaefferana) sits on a stucco wall near its oak hostplant (8 October 2007) (Id. Marc Epstein)

Related to silk moths is Dicogaster coronada (Family Lasiocampidae) (above). This female came in to a lit window on 4 Aug 2007 (id. Bruce Walsh). She remained here and oviposited on 10 August (below left). The eggs began to hatch on 25 August (below right).
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Pseudhapigia brunnea, a member of the family Notodontidae, is a decidedly local species with little presence in the U.S. These came to the porch light (3 and 4 August 2008).

The locally common Ctenucha venosa on Eupatorium (2 Sep 2005)
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Oculea Silkmoth (Antheraea oculea) at light on porch (1 Aug 2004) (L); Dichorda consequaria (Family Geometridae-inchworms) at light (16 Nov 2005) (Id. Noel McFarland) (R)

Another geometrid, a female Nacophora cristifera at a lit window (26 July 2007)
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The Bilobed Looper (Megalographa biloba) is a a member of the family Noctuidae. Here, one nectars at dusk on verbena (10 July 2010) (Id. Noel McFarland)

A male Black Witch roosts on the porch (22 Aug 2005)
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Manduca rustica on Desert Willow (25 July 2005) (Karen LeMay photo) (L), Manduca sexta on Datura (24 July 2006) (R)

The noctuid Opsigalea blanchardi uses Buddleia as a host plant (6 September 2006) (Id. Noel McFarland)

This beautiful caterpillar is a Western grape leaf skeletonizer (Harrisina metallica) (Family Zygaenidae), a species that can cause significant damage to grape crops. Several were present in the yard on Canyon grape (26 June 2010) (Id. Noel McFarland)
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Cucullia sp. (Family Noctuidae) on aster (6 September 2006)

White-lined Sphinx Moth on Gaura (10 August 2006)
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White-lined Sphinx Moth (Hyles lineata) (6 August 2006) (Karen LeMay photos)

Melipotis indomita, a noctuid, at light (11 June 2006) (Id. C. D. Ferris)

A locally uncommon sphinx moth (Aellopos sp. possibly A. clavipes) nectaring on Verbena pulchella (12 August 2006) (Id. suggested by Cliff Ferris)
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© Robert A. Behrstock 2010
Images may not be reproduced without the Photographer's permission.







