Sept. 5, 2021 - Moths-1

Now that the weather is getting colder here in northern Minnesota, I’m not seeing many moths when I turn on our porch light at night. So, I decided this is a good time to start posting some of the more interesting moths I photographed this summer.

This moth is called The Beggar. The website Bugguide.net speculates that it got that name because the bare areas on its wings might resemble the holes in a beggar’s clothing. It has a wingspan of 1 to 1¼ inches. It’s caterpillar feeds on Maples and Violets.

MothBeggarTheEubaphemendicaDunningLakeItascaCounty20210623

A Modest Furcula moth has four large dark patches on its wings and a series of small black dots. It has a wingspan of about 1½ inches. It is found all across southern Canada and the northern United States. In the west, its range extends to California and Arizona.

FurculaModestmodestaDunningLakeItascaCounty20210513

The Painted Lichen Moth has a splash of pink on it’s “shoulders.” True to its name, the caterpillar feeds on lichens, algae, and moss on trees. It has a wingspan of 1 to 1.4 inches.

MothLichenPaintedHypoprepiafucosaDunningLakeItascaCounty20210624

One of the identifying features of the Northern Petrophora moth is the two lines that go all across both forewings but don’t appear on the hind wings. It has a wingspan of about 1¼ inches. Its caterpillar eats ferns.

MothPetrophoraNorthernsubaequariaDunningLakeItascaCounty20210513

The varied coloring on a Finned Willow Prominent moth reminds me of the bark on certain trees. If this moth was perched on an Oak tree, for example, it might be very hard to detect. It has a wingspan of 1½ to 2 inches. The caterpillar feeds on leaves of poplar and willow.

MothProminentFinnedwillowNotodontascitipennisDunningLakeItascaCounty20210625

This moth is called a Soft-lined Wave. It does have several soft, wavy lines that extend across all four wings. It has a wingspan of ¾ to 1 inch. Its caterpillars feed on aster, clover, dandelion, ragweed, and sweet clover.

MothWaveSoftlinedScopulainductataDunningLakeItascaCounty20210623

This boldly striped moth is called The Neighbor, but I wasn’t able to find out how it got that name. It has a wingspan of 1½ to 2 inches. Bugguide.net says it feeds on Hazel and probably many other plants.

MothNeighborTheHaploacontiguaDunningLakeItascaCounty20210716