Mine certainly aren’t all confirmed ID’s. Just best I can do, so my number are probably give or take.
Thanks for starting this thread, excellent idea!
Your Lepidotarphius perornatella is a real stunner!
I started mothing during the pandemic lockdown, but have always been interested in insects. I check my five porch lights nightly. One has a black light bulb. I also walk the yard daily. I have a DIY trap I use occasionally, but never use sheets.
One of my more interesting observations was a somewhat stunted Luna next to a full size one (Lunas were plentiful here this year):
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/115550276
I also saw a Luna “play dead” for the first time (I love observing insect behaviors):
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/132451484
I had four different species of Catocala in one night, which is really rare here (Sept 7, 2022).
I saw my first Goldenrod Stowaway, such a lovely creature:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/132824467
My first undescribed (but known) species:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/130265788
Fun dissecting a Cecropia cocoon:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/129024162
Some new species to my property that I was THRILLED to see:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/126385448
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/125657783
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/125657927
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/124872596
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/122334325
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/119500736
My very first Clearwing ever:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/119799566
A pretty little micro:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/121800894
My first Trumpet moth:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/135957104
Herpetogramma were prolific this year, but the usually common Clover Hayworm was not common this year.
Thanks for the opportunity to review the year!
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I’ve never seen a Luna caterpillar, thanks for sharing!
The Diphtera is gorgeous!
Not as good as recent years in my area. Also more frustrating in that I had two that got away: Orange Wing, Mellilla xanthometata, and a large moth that flew off a tree trunk and disappeared that might have been a Black Witch, Ascalapha odorata. One interesting moth on the outer Banks of NC but could not get an ID.
I feel mostly sad for our moths. Like there are so many people here who love the colorful butterflies and if I put up a butterfly observation, it is usually Reseach Grade to species and often subspecies within 24 hours. But my sweet moths have to settle for being categorized mentally and admired by me. Having no scientific background, I hope they do not mind that I have been known to mentally classify observations into the following bespoke groups:
- Moths with muttonchops
- Moths with wings that look like pinking shears
- Moths that look like paper airplanes and/or Star Wars vehicles
- Moths disguised as garden trash
But every fall I watch as I think UADY biology students begin to make identifications and I have so much hope that soon one is going to say, “It is moths for me! Moths!” So one day the moths will all be known properly. For now I will just keep observing and admiring. :)
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So is searching for cicadas, so I am quite prepared for the addiction! Love seeing moths anyway so I don’t mind having one more thing to do in my free time. ;D
My favorite observation would have to be this Locust Underwing moth I saw resting on the side of the building. Its not shown in this picture but their underwing has such a beautiful pattern.
Also, appreciate all of the lep IDers (including butterflies, they are technically moths too!). The community is so hardworking at getting all of the thousands of butterfly and moth observations IDed every day. Thank you for your hard work!
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Since this I’ve had 2 significant moths. The first being this Scarlet-bodied Wasp Moth, the first sighting of one on the central TX coast. The other being Schinia maculata, the 2nd photographed specimen on one on the site.
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I’m in Austin, and this was my first year of regular mothing (definitely not the last, though), and it has been so neat to watch and follow the migrations. Also my moth counts helped pushed my overall animal species count over 1000 this year. My favorite observation was a White Flannel Moth - we were out in Rockport for the hummingbird festival and had gone out to Goose Island for a bird walk, and I was thrilled to spot a nice moth. Also loved finding this White-lined Sphinx by the porch lights.
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My moth cloths and lights (uv and work lamps) did not really yield much and I tried it in different areas around the house. Because the yield was low, i was sort of disappointed and bored with it. But, then, I usually go to bed early. So, one night, I determined to stay up late. I made it past midnight. Then, just as I was thinking of giving up, some insect flew under my shirt and started stinging or biting me on the back, It was awful and I ended up with about 7 or 8 big red welts that lasted for weeks. I can still see the faint marks from them. That was the end of moth cloths for me.
This is the only semi-fun looking moth I got from the moth lights. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/129105508
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The warm spell the last few nights brought in two possible lifers for me last night, if confirmed. So mothing season isn’t over yet!!!
Corn Earworm Moth
Hemina Pinion
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I’d say keep the southern winds blowing, but it is keeping some migrating waterfowl and gulls from getting down here.
1st iNat record for Michigan of Melonworm Moth
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This was my first serious season with moth trap
Not the best my summer,(i was ill) but night mothes but the have fully rewarded me, and now I am their ardent fan
Among others, I can single out two:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/125099199
Dolbina elegans
This big female was sitting motionless for 3 days+nights at my moth night photography net…then disappeared
@amzamz
super! Please have it double checked by someone else, I am not 100% sure.
see https://lepiforum.org/wiki/page/Dolbina_elegans
@joeybom says
Congratulations! It is known from this area, but it seems you have the first record for iNat.
@stomlins701 says
https://sphingidae.myspecies.info/taxonomy/term/874
Super find!
@albertorota
Wow!
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/119749391
Valerietta hreblayi
Very rare endemic species.
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Two years ago, I saw a Brenthis daphne for the first time,
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/53476165
which was the second time an iNat observation of that butterfly was added for the state of Hesse (the species entered Germany from South west, and the earliest observations may be just individuals crossing from the other side of the Rhine river). This year, it was so common here, that I am quite sure that we have a local population here now.
Also, Euplagia quadripunctaria has become a relatively common species in 2022.
I like that development.
It’s a bit of a stretch to call it “this year” as to the find; but the cool story is from this year. Twenty-seven years ago, only my third year of keeping a Grinnell journal, I found an Arctiine caterpillar on lady fern. I didn’t have a suitable camera at that time to photograph insects, but over the period of time that I kept it, I made careful sketches and detailed notes about the colors as it changed life stages.
Now for the cool story. Now that the internet has given me access to a lot more identification materials than I had at my disposal back them, I decided to revisit those old notes and sketches to see if I could finally identify it beyond just “Arctiidae” (Arctiines were still thought of as their own family at that time). My sketches and notes were detailed enough – especially after taking colored pencils to the sketches based on the notes – that I was indeed able to identify it: Genus Arctia – I think likely Arctia caja.
Nothing rare or endemic – it is a Holarctic species – but it goes to show that being meticulous about sketching and note-taking can create as much value as a photograph; and maybe more under some circumstances.
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I spent most of July this year in western Colorado, and the cabin we stayed in was on the edge of Gambel oak scrub. At night there were literally clouds of moths on the back deck. My favourite was this very pretty large lace-border moth (Scopula limboundata).
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