Moths

[Tindomul]

Does anyone out there have any interests in moths? This past spring-fall season I had a chance to take a first look at the world of Moths. I went all out with books and taking pics, collecting etc..
Here are some I became familiar with this year. I barely scratched the surface of the world of Moths/ lepidoptera, but got to start somewhere right.

Grape leaf-holder


Ployphemus Moth


Luna Moth





Pearly Wood-nymph


oak leafshredder


Delicate Cycnia



Dot-lined white moth



Painted Lichen Moth


Waved Sphinx Moth


Blinded Sphinx Moth




Bent-Lined Gray Moth


Beautiful Wood-Nymph



Some type of Dagger Moth

[orchidsarefun]

I am fascinated by moths, especially the brightly coloured tropical moths.
However in the USA, there is not much scope - well at least where I live. I did follow the lifecycle of the tomato hornworm moth, from caterpillar through to the moth emerging. I would recommend people do this, especially to show kids. Hornworms are pests and can decimate your tomato plants very quickly and are normally killed through pesticide spray. I had noticed 3 on some organic tomato plants I had bought - if you see eaten foliage, you just have to search for these big green monsters. The most fascinating part of the lifecycle is that the hornworms pupate underground. I filled a milk bottle with earth ( about 10 inches deep ) and placed the 3 'worms in the bottle when they started getting lethargic and changing colour. They soon burrowed into the earth - I even saw the pupae at the bottom of the bottle. After a few weeks the (ugly) moths emerged ! I released them but I am sure they don't overwinter in cold climates. They are definitely spread to our climate in Spring on tomato seedlings.

[Bloomin_Aussie]

I find a bunch of very interesting caterpillars in my garden. When I research what they are it normally turns out they mature into ugly dull brown moths. Lol. Wish we had attractive ones like yours.

[Ordphien]

The dot lined white moth is spectacular!
And I've always wanted to see a Luna moth in person.

I love watching insects. Their lives are so busy. I'm constantly fascinated by the extreme diversity just in my yard.
In constantly photographing it too!

I've been photographing a green lynx spider and her end sac for the past few months for no discernable reason lol.

I also have this one moth... I think it's a moth anyway...
It's only out during warm sunny days. It's tiny. My pinky nail is bigger. And it's the most charming shade of dusty pink.

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[NYCorchidman]

Well, I used to collect some stag beetles and horn beetles and lots of swallow tail type butterflies.

Moths creep me out!
I have to say I really like the first three though.
Especially the green one, Luna Moth.

Are these all from NYC area??? I don't think I've seen any of these. lol

[Tindomul]

Thanks guys for the enthusiasm.
Here in NYC we are supposed to get all the moths in my post. SOme like the Luna are barely around anymore. Many of those photos were taken in NYC, some in North Carolina.

---------- Post added at 10:12 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:10 AM ----------

Originally Posted by NYCorchidman

Moths creep me out!
I have to say I really like the first three though.
Especially the green one, Luna Moth.
l

You know, my Grandmother had a phobia against the big black tropical moths. They were huge, and black. But they looked just like butterflies in form.

[Leafmite]

I love the pictures. One type of moth certainly enjoys the leaves of my passiflora and cinnamon. I released three of them about a month after the plants moved inside. Seems as though some species adapt nicely to non-native plants.
I usually raise butterflies. This was a bad year for the monarch but a great year for black swallowtails around here.

---------- Post added at 10:46 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:45 AM ----------

Great post!

[Tindomul]

Originally Posted by Leafmite

This was a bad year for the monarch

[/COLOR]Great post!

That is an understatement. Last year 60 million (an all time low) reached the wintering grounds. This year, not only were they late, but also only 3 million made it to the wintering grounds.

THATS A 95% LOSS IN POPUPLATION SIZE

---------- Post added at 12:12 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:10 PM ----------

We north Americans killed 95% of the population. All this time we thought the Mexicans were going to kill them first with deforestation. Nope, we got them first. Congratulations North America.
As you can tell, that subject really pisses me off.

[nikkik]

Beautiful pictures! I loved reading all of your posts, they were so interesting.

[Leafmite]

Well, it is rather sad so I can understand. I grow the milkweed, ugly as it is, in my herb/flower/butterfly garden, just for them. We usually see quite a few of them. I only saw one this year.