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Tolype species

Possible Tiger Moth?
Tue, Oct 14, 2008 at 8:26 AM
These pictures taken in South Western Ontario, in mid-August. Using a black light and blanket to attract insects. Wondering if these are from the Tiger Moth family based on the tuft of ‘fur’. But i cannot tell what species. Wingspan aproximately 1 – 1.25 inches
Bug-eyed Canadian
South Western Ontario, Canada

tolype canada 300x292 Tolype species

Tolype species

Dear Bug-Eyed,
Your moth is in the genus Tolype meaning it is not a Tiger Moth.  The genus is part of the family Lasiocampidae, theTent Caterpillar and Lappet Moths.  BugGuide shows five species of Tolype, and we don’t feel qualified to identify your specimen to the species level.  Though you didn’t request the information, the other insect in your photo looks like a Water Boatman in the family Corixidae.

Posted 15 October 2008 § Toe Biters and other Aquatic True Bugs ‡ Comments (0) ° Tagged:
What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Red-Waisted Florella Moth

Red-waisted Florella Moth
Sun, Oct 12, 2008 at 5:28 PM
I Found many of these moths on, Bidens bipinnata (Spanish Needle). They never close their wings, even when under leafs. I hope they don’t think they are hiding.
F. Allen
Palmetto, Florida

red waisted florella moth 240x300 Red Waisted Florella Moth

Red Waisted Florella Moth

Dear F. Allen,
Thanks so much for providing a photo of a new species for our site.  We matched it to an image  on the Moth Photographers Group website.  The scientific name is Syngamia florella.

Posted 13 October 2008 § ‡ Comments (0) °

Ello Sphinx Caterpillar and Emerged Adult

Large, smooth, green caterpillar in Florida
Hello Bugman!
I hope you can help me. I found this lovely, large caterpillar on a silver buttonwood bush in my Florida yard. I live in Brevard County on the east coast. Two sites have suggested that it may be a Tantalus Moth, but I could not find photos of a Tantalus Moth caterpillar online or in any books to verify it. This picture shows the critter on the branch he was eating. Do you recognize this caterpillar? He is 3″ long, the size of my index finger. Thank you!
Donna Peters
Indialantic, FL

ficus cat donna 300x178 Ello Sphinx Caterpillar and Emerged Adult

Fig Sphinx Caterpillar

Hi Donna,
We are nearly certain that this is the caterpillar of the Fig Sphinx, Pachylia ficus. This is a highly variable caterpillar. We have checked Bill Oehlke’s excellent website, and the coloration on your specimen somewhat resembles one on his site, but it is still different. We are going to copy Bill Oehlke on this response so he can verify that our identification is correct. If our identification is correct, then the silver buttonwood bush, Conocarpus erectus, would be a new host plant for the caterpillar which feeds on members of the genus Ficus, the figs. Bill Oehlke may also request permission to post your interesting color variation on his own website.

Thank you, so much, for following up with me. I have several silver buttonwoods, and I have poured over all of them looking for more caterpillars, but this guy seems to be it. One of our neighbors has a fig tree, which may be worth mentioning. I don’t know if it translated in the photos, but the darker shade on the caterpillar’s back is purplish. Quite lovely!
Again, thank you.
Donna Peters

October 16, 2008
Daniel,
Here is reply I sent to Donna regarding “Pachylia ficus”
I am going to ask Jim Tuttle for his opinion. I wil get back to you and to Donna if I get an id from Jim

Hi Donna,
I am pretty sure the larvae are of one of the Erinnyis species, probably Erinnyis ello, possibly Erinnyis alope. I wil try for a second opinion and get back to you.
I am almost positive they are not Pachylia ficus.
Bill Oehlke

Daniel,
Jim Tuttle has confirmed the larvae are Erinnyis ello.
Bill Oehlke

Update: 11 November 2008
Hi Bill,
The caterpillar you identified for me as Erinnyis ello emerged today and was released this evening. I have attached a photo. It vibrated it’s wings on the potted plant for about 5 minutes, then flew away over the house. My 7 year old son loved it. Thanks again! icon smile Ello Sphinx Caterpillar and Emerged Adult
Donna Peters

elloe sphinx donna 283x300 Ello Sphinx Caterpillar and Emerged Adult

Ello Sphinx

Hi Donna,
Thanks for updating us on the emergence of your adult Ello Sphinx.

Posted 12 October 2008 § Hornworms § Hummingbird Moths, Sphinx Moths or Hawk Moths ‡ Comments (1) °
What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Fig Sphinx

Is this a sphinx moth?
Sat, Oct 11, 2008 at 5:19 PM
Found this beautiful moth resting underneath an orchid basket in my South Florida backyard. (Lake Worth) Its about 3-4 inches long.
It has a very long snout.
Julie
Lake Worth Florida

fig sphinx julie 261x300 Fig Sphinx

Fig Sphinx

Hi Julie,
This is a Fig Sphinx, Pachylia ficus.  The larval food plants are in the genus Ficus, the figs, and the caterpillar has at least four distinct color morphs.

Posted 11 October 2008 § Hummingbird Moths, Sphinx Moths or Hawk Moths ‡ Comments (0) °

Sallow Moth

possible sallow moth?
Sat, Oct 11, 2008 at 9:49 AM
Hi,
I found this pretty green moth inside a building on a green textured wall that was almost the same color as the moth. The closest thing I have seen to it on your site was the Deceptive Sallow Moth, except mine has brown patches on it. Can you please tell me what it is?
My 9 year old son and I love this site! We’ve identified several bugs already using it. Yesterday he found a female dung beetle and we used your site to confirm the ID (somehow he guessed correctly what it was before we checked your site). Is a dung beetle the same as a rhinoceros beetle?
He also captured a margined blister beetle (also ID-ed on your site) and carried it home bared handed from the bus stop – without getting blistered! Imagine our surprise when we realized what he’d captured without the bad side effects.
Erika Atkinson
Savannah, Georgia

sallow moth erika Sallow Moth

Sallow Moth

Hi Erika,
Thank you for your kind and sweet letter.  Your moth is definitely a Sallow Moth, but we are not certain which of the five species in the genus Feralia posted to BugGuide is the likeliest candidate.

Posted 11 October 2008 § ‡ Comments (0) °

Mexican Tiger Moth

what kind of moth is this?
Tue, Oct 7, 2008 at 12:15 PM
Hi,
I was walking up stairs to my apartment, and I noticed this beautiful moth in front of my doorstep. I have lived in southern California all my life and have been living in the desert city of Lancaster for about a year, and I have never seen a moth like this. It’s about an inch long and has a black abdomen with red stripe going down along the dorsal surface and a white stripe on the underbelly. Can you help me out?
Thank you, Allyson
Lancaster, CA

mexican tiger moth 220x300 Mexican Tiger Moth

Mexican Tiger Moth

Hi Allyson,
We believe this is a Mexican Tiger Moth, Notarctia proxima.  Several of the images on BugGuide show the pretty red underwings.

Posted 07 October 2008 § Tiger Moths and Arctiids ‡ Comments (0) °

Indian Meal Moth

1/4″ Fly / Moth / Roach looking bug. What is this??
Sun, Oct 5, 2008 at 10:13 PM
Hello Bugman!
I’ve had a few of these interesting yet annoying bugs flying around my house lately and I’ve been unable to find anything resembling it online.. It appears to have antenna folded along it’s wings and is approxamately 1/4″ long. Luckly it had no problem staying in one position for an hour while I attempted to capture some decent pics of it.. I am located in southeast Georgia in the little town of Ludowici, 45 minutes south of Savannah. Thanks for helping me put a name with this face!
Tom Goss
Ludowici, GA 31316 Southeast Georgia

indian meal moth tom 214x300 Indian Meal Moth

Indian Meal Moth

Hi Tom,
This is an Indian Meal Moth, Plodia interpunctella, which probably means you have an infestation of caterpillars in some stored grain product in your pantry.  Check the oatmeal box or corn meal for the caterpillars and check BugGuide for more information.

Posted 07 October 2008 § Pantry Moths, Clothes Moths, Case-Bearers and Meal Moths ‡ Comments (3) ° Tagged:

Unknown MicroLepidoptera from Australia is Identified

Horned Micro Moth for ID
Mon, Oct 6, 2008 at 5:29 PM
Hi Guys,
came across this little guy in my garden this morning and was taken by the stunning iridescence in the brown scales and the two little horns. The yellow section also fluoresces in the sunlight and was hard to photograph without flaring. It is about 1 cm long and only about 1 to 1.5mm cross section. It is seen here sitting on the leaf of a cucumber vine. No idea what the ID might be so hopefully someone can help.
aussietrev
Burnett Region, Queensland AU

microlepidoptera trevor australia 300x167 Unknown MicroLepidoptera from Australia is Identified

Australian Microlepidopteran

Hi Trevor,
We usually can’t even identify the Microlepidoptera we receive from the U.S., but perhaps someone will write in with an identification for your lovely Australian specimen.

October 7, 2008
Hi Daniel – What a great new site. Congratulations!
Re: Microlepidoptera from Australia
I am wondering if the microlepidoptera is a Micropterigidae. “A Guide to Australian Moths by Zborowski and Edwards describes them as “tiny, hairy head, short thickened antennae held up and out, shining colours, wings held steeply roof-wise.” They are “very small, shining in gold and blackish purple and are found in moist places, usually rainforest.” They are active during the day, preferring shade or dappled sunlight. Sabatinca sterops is very small and golden in colour and is found in Northern Queensland, which I think is where Trev lives? Unfortunately the book has no photograph of Sabtinca sterops.
Hope this helps,
Grev

Update: October 8, 2008
Micromoth ID
Hi guys,
after several inquiries to moth men here in Australia the ID is most possibly XYLORYCTIDAE Telecrates melanochrysa. Several images can be found at http://www.ento.csiro.au/gallery/moths/Telecratesmelanochrysa/telecrates_melanochrysa_02
Thanks Grev for your research. The two little horns turn out to be labial paps. Possibly not easily spotted in the photo is the fact that the antennae are lying back along the body curving down to the leaf just before the second brown band.
Trevor

Posted 07 October 2008 § ‡ Comments (0) °

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