Hey!
Hi!
Very interesting website. I stumbled upon it while trying to find out some information. My friend had given me a silkworm cocoon from our work (we sell feeder bugs) as a joke, thinking it wouldn’t open….. and WOW. I haven’t looked at the cocoon for a few days and all of a sudden its there.
Thanks for sending this image of a Domestic Silk Moth, Bombyx mori, though our readers will never encounter one in the wild. According to Charles Hogue in Insects of the Los Angeles Basin: “This is a totally domesticated insect that cannot survive without man’s constant care. The species has been selectively bred for centuries to imporve the quality of its silk. But in the process it has lost its self sufficiency: although its wings remain, they are stunted and weak and no longer serve their original purpose of flight.”
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Posted 23 January 2007
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Moth?
I saw this on a neighbor’s screen door in Satellite Beach, FL on 7 Jan 2007. First picture is what I saw before prodding with a twig to see if it was alive. It didn’t move, but I was able to move the wing coverlets and took 2nd picture.
Charles E. McKusick
Hi Charles,
This is a female Io Moth, one of the smaller native Saturnid Moths. Saturnid Moths do not eat as adults. The females release a pheromone that attracts a mate, often from miles away. These beauties fly just to mate and reproduce. The eyespots are a defense mechanism. If a bird or other hungry carnivore pecks at the moth, ths “eyes” are revealed, startling the would be predator.
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Posted 15 January 2007
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Male Actias Luna in January?
Hi Bugman,
Thanks for your dedication to the inspiring and educational "What’s That Bug?" website. You are sparking the entomologist in every viewer’s heart- whether they knew they had it in them or not! This beautiful moth appears to be an Actias Luna and I think it is a male. Because it is appearing in January, I am wondering if it is an example of an earlier generation for this year or if you think it is an added generation from last year? Either way, it is supposed to be dormant in an "overwinter" stage but there is no winter to over! Thanks again for your assistance! I look forward to your reply – if time allows.
Jessica Madden
Education Specialist
The Tampa Tribune
News In Education
Hi Jessica,
Insects that have defined generations generally have individuals that appear out of season. Also, the emergence patterns will change if the winter is warmer or colder than normal. This is most definitely a Luna Moth. Congratulations on a wonderful sighting.
Giant orange striped fuzzy mutant moth creature!
Hello! I found this giant orange striped fuzzy moth creature at my work here in Pittsburgh PA near the airport runway. I have never seen something like this before, nor has anyone I work with… we are hoping you can help us identify this mutant moth! Thank you.
-greg
Hi Greg,
Despite sending us this photo in January, we suspect you encountered this Royal Walnut Moth or Royal Moth sometime in the spring. This is the adult form of the frightening but harmless Hickory Horned Devil. Both caterpillar and adult moth are quite striking and spectacular.
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Posted 03 January 2007
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Could you please id this furry S. FL moth
I’m in S. Palm Beach County, FL. There was hundreds of these flying around a preserve scrub habitat, I thought they were skipper butterflies until I got a better look. By noon they all had found a place to rest and none were flying anymore. I only guess they feed on oaks or palms. I’ve id’ed many critters by just browsing your webpages. Thanks so much for the great adventures
Emilia
Boca Raton, FL
Hi Emilia,
Adult Buck Moths, Hemileuca maia, do not feed, but the caterpillars do feed on oaks. Your observation supports the comment on BugGuide that the moth is “Said to fly rapidly at mid-day through oak forests.”
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Posted 25 December 2006
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Unidentified Caterpiller
Came across this larvae while out hunting yesterday evening. To give you an idea of the length of the caterpillar, the arrow broadhead next to the caterpiller is right at about 2 inches long. Figure the larvae is about 3 inches. Nearest I can tell, its some sort of silkwork moth. I perused thru your archives and found this exact caterpiller, submitted on 9/9/04. However, the caterpillar could not be identified. Hopefully, this is a little better photo for you to work with. Its got me stumped, as I used to raise Polyphemus and Cecropias, and this don’t look like either! Thanks!
Cameron
Hi Cameron,
We believe this is a Luna Moth Caterpillar.
polyphemus
Hi,
I took these pictures a while ago while my boyfriend and I were exploring a nearby forest preserve in Garland, TX. It was the first saturniid I’d ever seen, and my encounter with it had me hooked on bugwatching ever since.
Samantha
Hi Samantha,
Thank you so much for sending in your photos of a Polyphemus Moth.
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Posted 01 November 2006
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This insect in South Florida..
My sister in Punta Gorda, FL, took this picture of what we think is a moth. I have been unsuccessful in finding anything to identify it. Can you help??? Thanks,
Chris Rawstern
Hi Chris,
This is a female Io Moth, but sadly, the most distinctive identifying feature is hidden from view. This species has bold eyespots on the underwings which frighten predators when they are flashed, making the moth appear to be the face of a much larger creature. It is an excellent defense mechanism. Females have brown upper wings and the smaller male has yellow upper wings. There are some excellent images on BugGuide.
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Posted 01 November 2006
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Ceanothus Silk Moth
Hi!
I just discovered your site today! Awesome! Many times I spot bugs, and spiders (we live by a swamp) that I have never seen before. I believe this is a Ceanothus Silk Moth. We live in SE Michigan and the wing span was about 2.5-3 inches. I look forward to sending you more pictures, I have taken many over the years!
Chris W
Hi Chris,
You live out of the range of the Ceanothus Silkmoth. This is a Spicebush Silkmoth, Callosamia promethea, a very battered female. BugGuide has an excellent photo series of the entire life cycle.
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Posted 19 October 2006
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Cecropia moth?
I took this picture while hiking in the Great Falls region of Maryland. Trudging down a pine-needle blanketed path in a thickly-wooded area I spotted this little guy resting on an old log, brilliantly displayed in a shaft of sunlight. After looking through the other moth pages, it appears that this might be a Cecropia moth? Thanks!
Marco
Hi Marco,
This is actually another of the Saturnid Moths, the Tulip-Tree Silkmoth, Callosamia angulifera. It is found in the East and Midwestern States from Canada to Florida and west to Illinois. The strong side-lighting brings out the wing texture nicely in your photo.
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Posted 11 October 2006
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I have some pics to donate and maybe a question or two.
I am a student at the
University of West Florida and am an photographer and naturalist much as you folks seem to be. All of these pictures excepting the first was taken with a Nikon D50 at the finest JPEG setting and 3008×2000 as the image size so high resolution copies are available upon request (these are all at 25% original size). They were also taken in either Pensacola or Panama City, Florida which are identical in climate and geography. Spotted Apatelodes I think. Taken by my friend at a Sonic two nights ago. I hope to send more pictures to you in the future. Most will be from the UWF nature preserve.
Chris Mathers
UWF Pensacola, Florida
Hi Chris,
This is indeed a Spotted Apatelodes Moth. Just yesterday we got a wonderful photo of a caterpillar from this species. The moth you described is some species of Sphinx Moth and we have three pages devoted to the family Sphingidae.
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Posted 08 October 2006
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Do you know what moth this is
I live on the north shore of lake huron and I found this moth. I cant seem to identify this moth can you help me out. Thanks
Debbie
Hi Debbie,
This is a male Imperial Moth. The female has more yellow on her wings.
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Posted 30 September 2006
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