Tuesday, June 5, 2007

Yes, this is a moth!



These are plume moths (LEPIDOPTERA: PTEROPHORIDAE), found near my front door on this June and last July. The characteristic T-shaped resting posture makes them easy to identify as plume moths, but getting them to species is much more difficult.

Top photo is probably the Geranium Plume Moth (Amblyptilia pica); bottom photo is the Morning-glory Plume Moth (Emmelina monodactyla). Thanks to an expert at the Moth Photographers Group for the ids (see comment).

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Top photo looks like the 6118 -- Geranium Plume Moth -- Amblyptilia pica. Bottom photo is the 6234 -- Morning-glory Plume Moth -- Emmelina monodactyla. Plume moths are shown on plate 30 at MPG.

Bob Patterson