They're Not Really Hummingbirds...

Not the greatest pics, yes I realize.

Trying to snap a quick picture of a Hummingbird Hawk Moth.  Got the pic but since the moth is in constant motion they're hard to get.  There are a munch here this summer and as always they love the Butterfly Bush flowers!  Constantly zipping from one to another to another to another.  They're fun to watch along with the bees and butterflies.

I See You There II

I spotted this, what I believe to be, Walnut Sphinx Moth on the outside wall to my office building, which just so happens to be in the same area as the Waved Spinx Moth I posted about back on May 31.

They prefer Walnut and butternut, hickory, alder, beech, hazelnut, and hop-hornbeam, and range from Maine south to Florida, west to North Dakota and west Texas, and south to Nuevo Leon, Mexico  Their conservation status is common and widespread in forests.

Smaller that the Waved Spinx moth but equally as attractive.

I See You There!!

I spotted this huge, as far as moths go huge, moth on the outside wall to my office building.  The dude blended in pretty well, for the novice anyway.

I believe this is a Waved Sphinx Moth.

They prefer Ash, Privet, Oak, Hawthorn and Fringe trees, and range from Maine west to Alberta, western North Dakota, and Colorado; south to Florida, the Gulf Coast, and Texas.  Their conservation status is common and widespread in forests, as well as urban street trees, however significant decline expected due to spreading Emerald Ash Borer.

Dude didn't move all day and was in the exact same spot when I punched out for the day.

Eyes See You

A Polyphemus Moth.

What a handsome specimen too.  In the past when I've come across these they've been in tough shape - ripped, torn and tattered but not this one.  Perhaps a free hatch.  He hung around for a while, in the shade, before flying off. 

The joys of summer.

A Fluffy Looking Moth

This handsome male Large Tolype Moth blends in nicely with our seasoned lamppost.

Some Are a Buzz Over Bee Balm!

We have oodles and oodles of Hummingbird Hawk-moths this summer.

They seem to enjoy the Bee Balm the best and seem to visit each and every flower.

These pictures show a Hummingbird Clearwing moth

The Sphingidae Family Perhaps?

I came across this very interesting looking caterpillar last weekend residing on our Grapevines.

It's not very long, about 3/4".  Yellowish brown in color with a horn on it rear-end and what looks like an over sized (foreskin type) collar, which allowed it to retract it's head into.

It has since gone into it's chrysalis stage, so we'll see what type of butterfly emerges.

I'm guessing it's one of the following: Darapsa Myron, Achemon Sphinx or Pandorus Sphinx.  Hard to tell as there too many to choose from, yet I wasn't able to locate an exact match on the Google machine.

Interesting non-the-less!

I See You Seeing Me Too...

 

Here's a beautiful specimen - a Polyphemus Moth (Giant Silk Moth).

 

Just look at the "eyes" on handsome young man!

 

We found this guy one morning clinging to the wall of the school down the street.  I had just dropped Emilie off at summer camp and he caught my attention as I was leaving.  We missed it on our way into the school; walked right past him.  He's beat up some, as you can see on his wings but regardless what a beauty!

Is It A Bird Or A Moth?!

 

Here is one of many Hummingbird moths that flock to our many flowers. 

 

This dude is dinning on Phlox and enjoying it.  Their favorite seems to be the Butterfly bush flowers.  They'll spend all day coming and going from flower to flower to flower, never minding the need to share a bud or two with Bumble Bees or Honey Bees or Hornets or moths or butterflies, one great BIG happy family.

 

It's a great time to be able to sit back and watch all these critters enjoying the hard work we put in - makes it all worth while.

Hummingbird Moth

Here are a couple pictures I took of a Hummingbird moth, otherwise known as the Common Clearwing of the Sphinx moth family, one of many, that would visit and spend time dining on the nectar of our butterfly bushes this past summer.

The fast beating wings might lead some to believe that this is a hummingbird. However, there are a couple characteristics that will help to distinguish between the two. The moth lacks the long beak and the wings are usually transparent (like a fly), which is an indicator that this is not a true bird.

Either way, the bird or the moth, they're both cool to watch!

Clymene Moth

Haploa clymene



I took these Clymene Moth pictures this past weekend. This little guy was out back hanging around our raspberry plants, that are next to our peach tree, which is one of the moth larva's favorite foods. He would fly off just a few feet and then stop, so I was able to eventually snaps some pictures.



The Clymene Moth is very easy to identify, with its striking black and beige patterning, and a special sulfur yellow treat when the hind wings are exposed upon opening the fore wings. It is a member of the Arctiidae family, the Tiger Moth, which also include some woolly bear caterpillar types. In this family are some destructive species as well; fall web worms, for instance. Clymene moth larvae like Eupatorium-type plants and feed on oak, peach, and willow trees. They range from New England to Georgia and westward to the Mississippi.

Clymene, the daughter of Oceanus and Tethys and wife of Iapetus was the mother of Atlas, Menoetius, Prometheus, Epimetheus, Phaethon, Atlanta, a number of girls known as the Heliades, and others. While these Greek heroes shared the same mother, there were about three or four fathers in the mix

The Isabella Tiger Moth

Emilie caught a Wooly Bear caterpillar about 3 or 4 weeks ago that she kept in her insect bug cage. She would hold it and talk to it all the time. Approximately 2 - 2.5 weeks ago, and much to our surprise, it spun a cocoon (pupated).

Emilie called me at work on Friday, all excited, to tell me the cocoon has hatched. It emerged as the stunning Isabella Tiger Moth, which is a member of the Arctiidae family. There are many species of this moth, ours is the one pictured below - notice the handsome finger perch too. On Saturday we let it go and even though it was confined to a small cage, it surprised us as how far it was able to fly on it's maiden flight.

SFrye732_Blog archive - December 01, 2006 Wooly Bear posting

Moth or Butterfly

Moth or Butterfly?

Moths and butterflies look like similar creatures, but don't let them fool you. Moths, like the luna moth, outnumber butterflies by more than 10 to one, and the two groups can really be confusing. However, you can learn a few simple tricks to help tell them apart.

The simplest way has to do with timing. Butterflies are active during the day, and most moths are active at night. Butterflies depend on sunlight to find food and seek out mates. So if you see a flying flower during daylight hours, chances are you're seeing a butterfly. Unfortunately, that's not always the case. There are a number of moths that fly during the day.

Color is the next thing to look for when distinguishing butterflies from moths. Most butterflies, but not all, have bright colors that help with the mating process and ward off predators. Brightly colored butterflies attract mates from quite a distance, and colors can be very important in butterfly courtship displays.

Though a few day-flying moths are also brightly colored, most are a dull gray, brown, white or a combination of the three. Their coloring tends to be duller because they rest on trees, the ground and on rocks during the day to avoid predators.

In general, butterflies are thinner bodied that moths—with the exception of skippers. Skippers tend to be dull in color and have large heads and robust bodies. Unlike butterflies, most moths are not strong fliers.

If you're still not sure if you're seeing a moth or butterfly, there's one distinguishing feature that never fails. Look at the antennae. Butterflies have enlarged clubs at the tips of their antennae. The clubs may be slightly curved, round or oblong.

Moths, on the other hand, have either tapered or feathered antennae, and do not have clubs on the ends. However, the hummingbird moth's antennae tend to get larger toward the tips.

When it comes to caterpillars, it's even more difficult to tell the difference between butterflies and moths, unless you are familiar with their host plants. There is one big difference, though. Butterflies form a chrysalis, and moths spin cocoons.

A chrysalis is a hard outer shell that is attached to the host plant, either upright or upside down, depending on the species. Moths have a different approach. They pupate in soft cocoons that they spin from silk.

One other difference between moths and butterflies is how they keep warm. This isn't something that is easy to see, but it is interesting. Both creatures are cold-blooded, so they need to warm their bodies on chilly days in order to be active.

During the day, butterflies find a perch and bask in the sun, often with their wings outstretched to absorb more heat. Moths have to use a different method, since they are nocturnal. They vibrate their wings rapidly for periods of time while perched. This creates friction and warms their bodies.

So the next time you see a flying flower in your yard, take a close look, especially at the antennae. You'll know how to distinguish moths from butterflies in no time!

Article written by Tom Allen, Contributing Editor for Birds & Blooms, Moth or Butterfly
The above IO Moth picture came from Burning Silo