General Neko's Moth-Watching Thread

[Nekoban Ryo]

Neko's Moth-Watching Thread

Gotta spot 'em all!

​

I've had a bit of an obsession with moths since I first spotted a Rosy Maple Moth (now my favorite moth) on my front door a couple years ago. Now I run for my camera whenever I spot a moth that catches my interest. Here I'll be sharing my curious encounters that I've been fortunate enough to capture on film (a red star marks my Top Picks). Feel free to share yours as well or share anything moth-related!

NOTE: If the images aren't loading correctly, or if you just want to browse more quickly, you can view them here.

Crambid Snout Moths

Basswood Leafroller Moth | White form ★
Bicolored Pyrausta
Bog Lygropia Moth
Bold Medicine Moth ★
Bold-Feathered Grass Moth
Curve-Lined Argyria
Desmia sp.
Diasemiodes janassialis
Feather-Edged Petrophila Moth
Genista Broom Moth
Hawaiian Beet Webworm Moth
Herpetogramma sphingealis
Hollow-Spotted Blepharomastix Moth
Ironweed Root Moth
Julia's Dicymolomia Moth
Mint-Loving Pyrausta
Oystershell Metrea Moth
Pale-Winged Crocidophora
Snowy Urola
Sooty-Winged Chalcoela (w/ Elegant Grass-Veneer)
Splendid Palpita
Spotted Beet Webworm Moth
Waterlily Leafcutter Moth
Yellow-Spotted Webworm Moth
Zebra Conchylodes ★

Geometrid Moths

Attentive Crocus Soldier Moth
Bent-Line Carpet Moth
Blackberry Looper ★
Bluish Spring Moth
Brown-Shaded Gray
Cherry Scallop Shell Moth ★
Chickweed Geometer ★
Common Gray
Common Spring Moth
Confused Eusarca
Cross-Lined Wave
Curve-Toothed Geometer
Dark-Banded Geometer ★
Deep-Yellow Euchlaena
Diminutive Wave Moth ★
Dotted Gray
False/Crocus Geometer
Fervid Plagodis
Friendly Probole
Granite Moth
Greater/Lesser Grapevine Looper
Half-Wing | Caterpillar
Horned Spanworm Moth | Caterpillar
Hubner's Pero Moth
Hydriomena sp.
Idaea sp.
Juniper Geometer
Large Lace-Border
Large Maple Spanworm Moth
Lesser Maple Spanworm Moth
Mottled Grey Carpet Moth
Oak Besma Moth
Obtuse Euchlaena
One-Spotted Variant
Packard's Wave
Pale Beauty ★
Pale Metarranthis
Phigalia sp.
Promiscuous Angle Moth
Red-Fringed Emerald ★
Scallop Moth
Showy Emerald ★
Signate Melanolophia
Stained Lophosis | Female ★
Straight-lined Plagodis
The Bad-Wing ★
The Beggar
The Gem | Male
The Scribbler ★
Three-Spotted Fillip
Tulip-Tree Beauty
Unadorned Carpet Moth
Wavy-Lined Emerald | Caterpillar (Camouflaged Looper) ★
White Slant-Line ★
White Spring Moth
White-Ribboned Carpet Moth ★
Yellow-Headed Looper Moth
Yellow Slant-Line

Giant Silkworm and Royal Moths

Imperial Moth | Caterpillar ★
Io Moth | Female | Caterpillar ★
Luna Moth | Caterpillar ★
Pink-Striped Oakworm Moth ★
Polyphemus Moth ★
Promethea Moth ★
Rosy Maple Moth ★
Spiny Oakworm Moth
Tulip-Tree Silkmoth ★

Owlet Moths

Adjutant Wainscot
American Copper Underwing | Caterpillar
American Dagger Moth | Caterpillar
Arcigera Flower Moth ★
Ash-Tip Borer Moth
Beautiful Wood-Nymph ★
Bent-Line Dart
Bicolored Sallow
Black-Barred Brown
Black-Bordered Lemon
Black-Dotted Glyph
Black-Patched Graylet
Bristly Cutworm Moth
Brown-Hooded Owlet | Caterpillar
Brown Angle Shades
Brown Panopoda
Close-Banded Yellowhorn
Colorful Zale | "Greener" Form
Common Looper
Common Spragueia
Confused/Subgothic Dart
Corn Earworm Moth
Distinct Quaker
Eastern Panthea Moth
Eight-Spotted Forester | Caterpillar ★
Elder Shoot Borer
Explicit Arches
Garman's Quaker
George's Midget
Gold Moth | Caterpillar ★
Goldenrod Stowaway ★
Grapevine Epimenis ★
Gray-Edged Bomolocha
Greater Oak Dagger Moth
Green Cutworm Moth
Green Leuconycta
Hebrew Moth
Hitched Arches | Caterpillar
Implicit Arches
Indigo Stem Borer Moth
Ipsilon Dart
Ironweed Borer Moth
Large Mossy Glyph
Maple Dagger | Caterpillar
Maple Looper
Maple Zale
Marbled-Green Leuconycta
Moonseed Moth ★
Obtuse Yellow
Olive-Shaded Bird-Dropping Moth
Pearly Wood-Nymph
Pink-Barred Pseudeustrotia
Pink-Patched Looper Moth
Pink-Shaded Fern Moth ★
Pink-Spotted Dart
Powdered Dagger Moth | Caterpillar
Ragweed Flower Moth
Red Groundling Moth
Red-Lined Panopoda
Red-Winged Sallow
Roadside Sallow
Rustic Quaker
Scalloped Sallow
Sharp-Stigma Looper
Small Bird Dropping Moth
Small Mossy Glyph
Speckled Green Fruitworm Moth
Splendid Dagger | Caterpillar
The Asteroid
The Laugher
The Wedgling
Three-Lined Flower Moth ★
Tobacco Budworm Moth ★
Unspotted Looper
Variable Tropic Moth
Variegated Midget
Venerable Dart Moth
Yellow-Striped Armyworm Moth | Caterpillar

Prominent Moths

Angulose Prominent
Black-Blotched Prominent | Caterpillar
Datana sp.
Double-Lined Prominent | Caterpillar
Double-Toothed Prominent ★
Gray-Patched Prominent
Morning-Glory Prominent | Caterpillar
Oval-Based Prominent
Red-Humped Caterpillar Moth | Caterpillar
Red-Humped Oakworm Moth
Rough Prominent
Saddled Prominent
Unicorn Caterpillar Moth | Caterpillar
Variable Oakleaf Caterpillar Moth | Caterpillar
Wavy-Lined Heterocampa | Caterpillar | Early-instar ★
White-Blotched Heterocampa
Yellow-Necked Caterpillar Moth | Caterpillar

Pyralid Moths

Boxwood Leaftier
Clover Hayworm Moth
Dimorphic Macalla Moth ★
Dimorphic Tosale Moth
Meal Moth
Orange-Tufted Oneida Moth
Pink-Fringed Dolichomia
Pink-Masked Pyralid Moth
Sycamore Webworm Moth
Trumpet Vine Moth
Walnut Shoot Moth
Yellow-Fringed Dolichomia Moth

Slug Caterpillar Moths

Abbreviated Button Slug
Hag Moth | Caterpillar (Monkey Slug) ★
Jeweled Tailed Slug Moth
Nason's Slug Moth
Purple-Crested Slug Moth
Saddleback Caterpillar Moth| Caterpillar
Shagreened Slug Moth
Skiff Moth | Caterpillar
Smaller Parasa | Caterpillar ★
Spiny Oak-Slug Moth| Caterpillar ★
Spun Glass Slug Moth | Caterpillar ★
Stinging Rose Caterpillar Moth | Caterpillar ★
Yellow-Collared Slug Moth
Yellow-Shouldered Slug Moth | Caterpillar

Sphinx Moths

Blinded Sphinx | Hindwings | Caterpillar
Five-Spotted Hawk Moth
Laurel Sphinx ★
Lettered Sphinx ★
Nessus Sphinx
Small-Eyed Sphinx ★
Snowberry Clearwing | Caterpillar ★
Southern Pine Sphinx
Virginia Creeper Sphinx | Caterpillar ★
Walnut Sphinx | Pink Form ★

Tent Caterpillar and Lappet Moths

American Lappet Moth | Side view ★
Dot-Lined White ★
Eastern Tent Caterpillar Moth | Caterpillar ★
Forest Tent Caterpillar Moth | Caterpillar
Large Tolype Moth ★

Tiger and Lichen Moths

Banded Tiger Moth
Clymene Moth ★
Delicate Cycnia
Fall Webworm Moth | Southern Form | Caterpillar
Giant Leopard Moth | Abdomen | Caterpillar ★
Halysidota sp. | Banded Tussock Moth Caterpillar | Sycamore Tussock Moth Caterpillar ★
Harnessed Tiger Moth ★
Immaculate Holomelina
Isabella Tiger Moth | Caterpillar (Banded Woollybear)
Milkweed Tussock Moth | Caterpillar
Packard's Lichen Moth
Painted Lichen Moth ★
Parthenice Tiger Moth
Virginian Tiger Moth | Caterpillar (Yellow Woollybear) ★
Yellow-Collared Scape Moth

Tortricid Moths

Adoxophyes furcatana
Doubleday's Notocelia Moth
Filbertworm Moth
Filigreed Chimoptesis
Labyrinth Moth
Pitch Twig Moth
Pseudexentera sp.
Red-Banded Leafroller Moth
Silver-Bordered Aethes
Snowy-Shouldered Acleris
Spotted Fireworm Moth
Yellow-Winged Oak Leafroller Moth

Tussock Moths

Manto Tussock Moth
Southern Tussock Moth
White-Marked Tussock Moth | Female | Caterpillar
Yellow-Based Tussock Moth | Caterpillar

Others

Ailanthus Webworm Moth ★
American Ermine Moth
American Idia
Arched Hooktip ★
Baltimore Snout
Black-Banded Owlet
Black-Marked Inga Moth
Black-Waved Flannel Moth | Caterpillar | Early-instar ★
Black Bit Moth
Canadian Owlet
Clover Looper
Coleophora sp. (Casebearer Moth)
Cream-Edged Dichomeris Moth
Dark Marathyssa Moth | Side-view
Decorated Owlet
Dinumma deponens
Evergreen Bagworm Moth | Caterpillar ★
Eyed Baileya
Eyed Dysodia Moth
Eyed Paectes Moth ★
False Underwing
Grape Plume Moth ★
Hibiscus Leaf Caterpillar Moth | Caterpillar
Ilia Underwing ★
Ironweed Clearwing ★
Large Paectes
Light Marathyssa Moth
Little White Lichen Moth
Locust Underwing
Maple Leafcutter Moth
Mini Bagworm Moth | Caterpillar ★
Mournful Thyris ★
Orange-Patched Smoky Moth
Schlaeger's Fruitworm Moth
Pavlovski's Monopis Moth
Peachtree Borer Moth
Penitent Underwing
Plume Moth
Red-Streaked Mompha Moth
Redbud Leaffolder Moth
Ridings's Fairy Moth ★
Sigela brauneata
Small Necklace Moth ★
Sorghum Webworm Moth
Southern Longhorn Moth
Spotted Apatelodes | Caterpillar ★
The Bride
Thin-Winged Owlet
Tufted Thyatirin
White Edge Moth
White Flannel Moth
Yellow-Vested Moth
Yucca Moth

 

[Trainer Josh]

Not a huge fan of moths myself, but these pictures are awesome! I'm curious if you have any funny/interesting stories, about moths flying away or forgetting your camera?

 

[Nekoban Ryo]

Not a huge fan of moths myself, but these pictures are awesome! I'm curious if you have any funny/interesting stories, about moths flying away or forgetting your camera?

The only semi-funny story I can recall was when I was taking pictures of the Rosy Maple Moth. See the second pic? It was actually charging at me for disturbing it. (I only wanted to get a shot of its pretty face!) I think it was shortly after that that it flew away. I finally found another one for the first time in over a year this morning, but it didn't stick around nearly as long after waking up.

And I rescued the Hebrew Moth from the dog's "water bowl of doom." The picture was taken after it had dried off a bit.

I think the only moths I missed were a Hummingbird Moth in the garden and a somewhat large yellowish moth (possibly an Io Moth) that I didn't even notice until it flew away. There was also a Black-Waved Flannel Moth (aka Puss Moth) that I tried taking pictures of, but they all came out too blurry or overexposed to use.

EDIT: Actually, there was another one that got away. I remember it having a striking orange body with small black dots down its back. I just saw one while looking through some pics and it was an Isabella Tiger Moth. I've seen the Banded Wooly Bear Caterpillars since I was a kid, but I think that was my first time seeing an adult. I'll definitely have to keep an eye out for another.

 

[Nekoban Ryo]

UPDATE: Added the Dogbane Tiger Moth and Ailanthus Webworm Moth

 

[Nekoban Ryo]

UPDATE: Added the Banded Tussock Moth

 

[Nekoban Ryo]

UPDATE: Added the Deep-Yellow Euchlaena and Manto Tussock Moth. I also added another Luna Moth photo.

 

[Nekoban Ryo]

Added the following:

• A small and unidentified pink and yellow moth (got any ideas?)
  
• Saddled Prominent
  
• Arched Hooktip
• A moth of the Desmia genus (unsure of species, possibly a Grape Leaffolder)
• Banded Tiger Moth (not to be confused with the Banded Tussock Moth)
• Beautiful Wood Nymph

 

[Nekoban Ryo]

Added the Fall Webworm Moth (maybe my best moth photo yet). Here's a pic of their caterpillars (Fall Webworms) that I took a few days ago as well:

 

[NinjaPenguin]

Wow, Neko. These pictures are beautiful. They are consistently well lit and in focus, and your Depth of Field is always just enough to show us the moth without moving our attention to the background. They're almost turning me into a moth enthusiast!
May I ask how exactly you take these pictures? I would think that it's would be difficult to adjust my angle and settings for the perfect shot before the moth flies away.

 

[Nekoban Ryo]

Wow, Neko. These pictures are beautiful. They are consistently well lit and in focus, and your Depth of Field is always just enough to show us the moth without moving our attention to the background. They're almost turning me into a moth enthusiast!
May I ask how exactly you take these pictures? I would think that it's would be difficult to adjust my angle and settings for the perfect shot before the moth flies away.

I usually use my camera's default Auto Mode (sometimes Scene Recognition) with Macro or Super Macro turned on and get as close as possible without zooming-in or using flash (when possible). I hold the shutter button halfway down, wait for the focus sound to beep, check the display (if I can see it) to make sure it focused on the right thing, then finish pushing the shutter button while trying to keep myself steady. I often take 10+ pictures of the same subject just to be safe. If needed, I use Photoshop to crop the photos and improve lighting, color balance, and sharpness.

Most moths are pretty chill during the daytime and won't fly away unless you accidentally tap their wings or try to wake them up and even then some don't want to budge. Butterflies and dragonflies are a very different story, though. @_@

 

[flilix]

I once found an elephant hawk moth caterpillar in my garden. I was curious to see what it would look like as a month, so I put it in a cage with some ground (the caterpillars hibernate under the ground). In spring it came out of the ground, it was very beautiful. I didn't take any pictures though.

This is a picture I found on Google:

 

[Nekoban Ryo]

UPDATE: Added the Rough Prominent

I also spotted this the other day, which I have a strong hunch is the case of a Grass Bagworm:

EDIT: It may be a Mini Bagworm.

I once found an elephant hawk moth caterpillar in my garden. I was curious to see what it would look like as a month, so I put it in a cage with some ground (the caterpillars hibernate under the ground). In spring it came out of the ground, it was very beautiful. I didn't take any pictures though.

This is a picture I found on Google:

Elephant Hawk Moths are gorgeous! It's so cool that you pupated one. I'd love to pupate a moth someday, but I'm not sure how feasible that would be with all these cats...!

 

[Nekoban Ryo]

Added another photo of the Blinded Sphinx Moth. Can you tell how they got the name?

 

[Nekoban Ryo]

No more interesting adult moths, but here's a pretty cool caterpillar:

As a general rule of thumb, it's in your best interest not to handle furry caterpillars. Although not all of them sting, the Io Moth caterpillar is one example of why you should probably avoid them. This green caterpillar appears to be covered in soft moss, but its hairs are anything but pleasant to the touch. These spines contain a potent venom that can result in excruciating pain, sometimes requiring medical attention.

Like all adult North American moths, the mature Io Moth is harmless (and quite pretty).

 

[Nekoban Ryo]

Where did all the adults go?

- - -

White-Marked Tussock Moth Caterpillar. Beware of the spines! Adults of this species aren't nearly as vibrant but, interestingly, females are flightless.

- - -

Here's a "stick caterpillar" that will eventually become a type of geometer moth:

- - -

Another moth better-known for its caterpillar, the American Dagger Moth (it's partially curled-up in the photo):

 

[Nekoban Ryo]

I wasn't able to get a great pic since it's dark out, but I spotted another adult moth that caught my fancy. It's a small moth, but the color and combed antennae are gorgeous. The Wavy-Lined Emerald has been added to the first post.

Their larvae are pretty neat, too. I've not seen any myself, but I was researching them and found out that these crafty caterpillars attach bits of flowers and other plant material to their backs for camouflage. Pretty cool stuff. Check them out on Google.

 

[Nekoban Ryo]

The "Grass Bagworm" case from before looks like it may actually be a Mini Bagworm instead. I found a couple more of 'em today.

Spoiler

I also spotted what appear to be baby Milkweed Tussock Moth caterpillars munching-down.

 

[GrandPanacea]

Holy Toledo, these pictures are incredible!!

I've only ever seen once fancy moth before. I was working at a convenience store/gas bar, on a night shift, and the coworker I took over from was still there, chatting with me. We saw a large fluttering motion by one of the windows, and I went to the door to peek out, because we thought it was a bat. It was actually a Luna Moth! It was perched on the brick wall, a couple of inches above the ground. It was so beautiful.

 

[Nekoban Ryo]

STORY TIME!

I remember finding a big moth outside the grocery store when I was younger (it may have been a type of sphinx moth because I remember that its body reminded me of a plump worm). It was under a shopping cart and I was afraid it would get ran-over, so I decided to swoop in and save it. It wouldn't fly away, so I assumed it had been injured and decided to take it home with me. We stopped at a gas station on the way home and the moth started flapping its wings, so I rolled-down the window and it flew away. I felt that I had helped it recover, but now that I think back on it, it was probably just in a sleepy daze that whole time instead of injured. Anyway, I think I've had a bit of an affinity with moths since.

Added the Small-Eyed Sphinx Moth to the first post. It's almost identical to the Blinded Sphinx, but bears a different pattern. Who knows, maybe it's the same kind I rescued as a kid?

I also found another Mini Bagworm case (the longest I've found yet) and decided to combine all four of them into a single image. This makes me all the more eager to get a full-odds Shiny Mothim! *Continues headbutting the Burmy tree in HGSS* EDIT: Found a couple more Mini Bagworm cases and added them to my pic:

Holy Toledo, these pictures are incredible!!

I've only ever seen once fancy moth before. I was working at a convenience store/gas bar, on a night shift, and the coworker I took over from was still there, chatting with me. We saw a large fluttering motion by one of the windows, and I went to the door to peek out, because we thought it was a bat. It was actually a Luna Moth! It was perched on the brick wall, a couple of inches above the ground. It was so beautiful.

Glad you like 'em! I just wish more of them had nature in the background...

I agree, Luna Moths are beautiful (not to mention huge and fluffy). <3

 

[TheSceptileMaster]

Hey nekoban, I saw a moth named the Paonias Excaecata at school during recess. It was pretty cool, but whenever somebody touched it, it wouldn't react at all, but it was alive. Weirder, the legs were like glued to the tree, it never fell off. Moths are kewl!