moths to share
I took these last August in Ghent, W Va. at my mothers house. i’d like to share them with you. I pretty sure the green one is a Luna Moth. I would like to identify the other 2, if you have time. Looks like you were overloaded from your vacation. This is a pretty typical night at my mothers house, lots of cool bug (insects). Where in Ohio did you go? I"m from the Akron area myself. Regards,
Firefighter Dwayne West
I just sent you some photos from me. After further browsing your site, I have identified the other 2 as an Io and a Polyphemus. You have an outstanding website. It will be used often by me, as I have put it in my favorites. Again, OUTSTANDING website. Regards,
Dwayne West
Dear Firefighter Dwayne,
Since you have correctly identified your Luna Moth and your male IO Moth, we will concentrate on the remaining moth that you incorrectly identified as a Polyphemus Moth. It is in fact a Tulip Tree Silkmoth, Callosamia angulifera. BugGuide has many additional images and much information. Like all Giant Silk Moths, the Tulip Tree Silkmoth, Io Moth and Luna Moth do not feed as adults. They live to mate. Your mother’s home must be a moth aficionado’s dream. I just returned from my mother’s house in a small town just east of Youngstown, Ohio.
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Posted 04 June 2007
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Moth at El Morro National Monument
Hi! The staff here at El Morro National Monument (In Northwestern New Mexico) found this moth (alas, dead) on the trail. We want to use the moth to educate people about the native insects but we can’t seem to identify it! I know your site says you are busy but could you please please please help us out? We have a display about butterflies and would love to add this moth but we need to know what it is so we can tell our visitors about it!
Thanks! Megan Allinger
Hi Megan,
This is a Columbia Silk Moth, Hyalophora columbia. It is one of the Giant Silk Moths and it has a very short adult life span. The mature, mate and die without eating.
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Posted 03 June 2007
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moth
Hi Bugman,
Can you tell me the name of this moth? It came flying at night attracted to the light. The lens cap is for size comparison. I think that cap is 55 mm. The moth looked to be about 3 inches across the wingspan. I’m sure it’s fairly common. thanks,
Rich
Hi Rich,
This is a Cecropia Moth. We just posted a photo of another individual from this species that was submitted from Ottawa in Canada.
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Posted 01 June 2007
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Moth
After researching to find out what name this moth is from your website, I wanted to say, this Luna Moth was on my screen door here in Sault Ste Marie, ON. I was curious to know how far north do these Luna Moths go? I see your recipients are from the USA, and wonder if this one has traveled too far?
Have a good day,
Helga MacKenzie
Sault Ste Marie, Ontario Canada
Hi Helga,
Thanks for sending us your Luna Moth image. Luna Moths are quite common in Maine and they also range into Southern Canada.
Unknown Moth
Photographed on outer apartment door in Ottawa ON on May 29th 2007 at approximately 6am. The outdoor temperature was 10C. At first I thought it was a beautiful butterfly but after some research (check out those antennae) I came to understand that it is, in fact, a moth. Very cool. Any help identifying would be greatly appreciated!!
Alice Murray
Hi Alice,
This is a Cecropia Moth, one of the Giant Silkworm or Saturnid Moths. The reddish-orange coloration on the wings helps to distinguish the Cecropia Moth from a closely related species, the Columbia Silkmoth which is also called the Tulip Tree Silkmoth. A western species, the Ceanothus Silmoth also looks similar but without the reddish-orange wing markings.
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Posted 30 May 2007
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what are they?
From giant green caterpillar..to giant grey moths!
These caterpillars turned into cocoons last August, we kept them out in the garden shed all winter, below zero temps and all, and they finally today turned into moths! (we thought maybe they died from too much handling, trips to school for show and tell..but they are fine! We will release them tonight.) Some photos are blurry but has my fingers in it for scale to show how big these guys are!
LaRae
Hi LaRae,
What a marvelous documentation of the metamorphosis of two Polyphemus Moths.
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Posted 29 May 2007
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What is it? It’s gorgeous!!!
Hi,
Last year I sent a pic of a Giant Inchneunom that you really liked and added to you website. Here’s anew one of a bug we don’t ecognize. Please advise Thanks,
ian
Hi Ian,
This is a Luna Moth. It is a striking insect that cannot be easily confused with any other North American species. If you had scrolled to the bottom of our homepage, you would have gotten your answer.
2 pictures for you
We found this beautiful moth on our North Idaho ranch about 60 miles south of the Canadian boarder. In our 40 years here we have never seen anything like it. Is this a Columbia Silk Moth?
C
Hi C,
This is a close relative of the Columbia Silkmoth, the Ceanothus Silkmoth, Hyalophora euryalus. It is found in the western states.
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Posted 21 May 2007
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Luna Moths Mating
Hello! I was just scrolling the Luna Moth page on your website and saw that you have a couple of pictures of Luna Moths mating. Today we have a pair on our fence and they have been there all day. We saw one on the fence last night by himself and today he was joined by his mate. I have been outside several times to take pictures and thought you might enjoy a few to post on your website if you’d like. I was saddened to read that the Lunas only live a few days. No wonder these two are spending so much time together! Enjoy!
Shelly W.
Near Winston-Salem, NC
Since I sent these, we have also located the chrysalis/cocoon of what we assume to be the female who was originally on the fence the day beflor, as the females apparently do not fly until after mating.
Hi Shelly,
Thank you for taking the time to resend your gorgeous image of mating Luna Moths.
Hawk Moth, but what kind?
Hi,
A friend of mine sent a picture of a moth from Durban, South Africa. She said it was a hawk moth, but do you know what type of hawk moth it is please?
Thanks,
JJ
Hi JJ,
This is not a Hawk Moth, it is a Giant Silkmoth. We identified it as Imbrasia wahlbergi on Kirby Wolfe’s spectacular Saturniidae site.
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Posted 07 May 2007
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Very large moth
My daughter took this photograph two days ago in France. Can you identify it please. Thanking you in anticipation
Jane
Hi Jane,
This beauty is the Great Peacock Moth, Saturnia pyri. We located it on a site entitled Saturniidae of the Western Palaearctic which states this species is rare in Northern France.
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Posted 06 May 2007
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Hi bugman!
I found this one hanging on my screen door around midnight tonight. I’m in SE Ohio, and all i normally see are the plain ones, so I was pretty curious! Stumbled onto your website, so I thought i’d ask
Karrie
Hi Karrie,
If you had scrolled down our homepage a bit, you would have found that the Luna Moth was our featured Bug of the Month for April 2007.
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