A moth native to Asia has fluttered its wings on over to the United States and surprised agriculture officials in the process. The atlas moth, one of the largest moths in the world with a nearly 10-inch wingspan, was found outside a garage in Bellevue, Washington, in early July. After a University of Washington professor […]
Tag: moth
Bad taste in the moth: study reveals insect’s chemical defence
It might seem like they are being lazy but some moths do not bother to flee from predators because they make themselves taste disgusting. That is the case for a certain species of tiger moth, which researchers have found displays a nonchalant approach when faced with potential predators, on account of its disgusting flavour. Dr […]
Night Beauties, Luna Moth, Actias luna
We humans are creatures of habitual repetition and it is a reliable assumption that bynightfall most people are indoors with lights on and doors closed to the outside world. When we accidentally or purposefully leave our outside lights on, it is somewhat like fly fishingwith the bright light being the lure. Many night beauties will […]
Exotic migrant moths invade Britain under cover of darkness
An army of exotic migrant moths has invaded Britain under the cover of darkness, encouraged north by the gentle southerly breezes and balmy evenings of an Indian summer. The unprecedented autumn influx of rare insects includes the rosy underwing, the crimson speckled and the sinister death’s head hawkmoth, with another rare migrant moth, the Clifden […]
Stunning moth species discovered in the mountains of China
A new species of moth (Stenoloba solaris) was discovered in the Yunnan province of China, a new addition to the nascent genus of moth, Stenoloba. The discovery was published in the open access journal ZooKeys. The moth is colloquially known as the “sun moth” because of the intricate pattern that covers its upper wings and […]
Twig-Mimic Caterpillar
I was walking on the path that circles Pakim Pond in the Brendan T. Byrne State Forest in New Jersey last week. I walked into a gossamer thread that I thought was a spider web. I turned out to be a caterpillar’s silken support line. I looked down and saw a “twig” sticking out of […]
Goodness knows
Kindergarteners swarmed around the khaki-clad naturalist, squealing with excitement, shouting out questions and jockeying for a better view.The adult volunteers on this field trip were a tougher audience. “I’m glad they’re having fun but I don’t see why anyone should care about some bug,” one 30-something mom confided to another, adding, “What good is it, […]
Don’t call him hummingbird.
Hmm, I thought I had put these up already. Apparently not. Sphinx moths. You love them, right? As you should. They’re sort of fancy-pants. This is a White-lined Sphinx (Hyles lineata) unless someone tells me otherwise. Not really the easiest photo subject. These shots aren’t all that sharp but I like ’em anyway. My attention […]