rss Moth/Butterfly
We found this "thing" on the window of our office this morning and there is some discussion as to whether it is a moth or butterfly. Its body is approximately 2 inches long and its wing span is approximately 4-5 inches wide. The picture makes it look darker then it is. It actually is a medium shade of gray with orange and white accents.
Melissa Victor
Seaman, Ohio
Hi Melissa,
What a wonderful image of a Cecropia Moth, one of the Giant Silk Moths or Saturnid Moths.
moth in Ohio
Hello,
I live in Ohio. My kids and I came across this moth at our mailbox. Could you help us identify it? Thanks.
Andrea
Hi Andrea,
This is a Pink Spotted Hawkmoth, Agrius cingulata. If the wings were open, you could see the distinctive pink spots on the abdomen.
Luna Moth
Hi, just found this Luna Moth on our building in Lansing Michigan. We didn’t know what it was so looked it up and found this site. Thanks
Linda Norris
MDOT Photo Lab Building
Lansing, Michigan
Hi Linda,
While they are in season, we always keep a Luna Moth on our homepage.
I finally ID’d that pink and white micro moth!
Please reference previous subject line: " Hello Cutey! Pink & White moth June 26, 2006 "
Hi again, After just sending a moth photo to you earlier today, I came across this little cutey flitting around my kitchen. Her length is 6/16ths inches from snout to wing tip and the same measurement across, from wing tip to wing tip while sitting still in the position seen in the photo. She’s a very nervous type, and it was hard to get this shot as she would take off every time I got near. Luckily, she’s not a very strong flier so she never went far. Can you help identify it? I’m thinking Tiger moth family? Again, I’m in the Chicago area, in Kane County, Illinois and this is another first time spotting this type of moth. It’s a real blessing to be seeing so many moths this year after they sprayed our whole area for gypsy moths a couple years ago and it effectively exterminated most butterflies and moths as well. 
Thanks for having such an awesome site to come to with questions. I almost always find the id’s I’m looking for, or at least something in the same family to put me in the right direction. Cheers! Michelle
Hi again, I dropped you a line asking about this moth but now I’ve gotten my answer. It’s a Raspberry Pyrausta Moth! (Pyrausta signatalis) Appropriate name considering the beautiful color, don’t you think? Though many of this subfamily of micro moths are considered crop pests, this particular one’s larval form feeds on mints (the plants of course! LOL) I was wondering if that might make it taste bad to predators? Or at least it would give them better breath! LOL You can see it for identification on the "moth photographers group" website. (I also sent you a note about this cool site today, in case you’d never seen it) Here’s the link to the page with this moth on it:
http://mothphotographersgroup.msstate.edu/Files/JV/Plate25.1.shtml
It’s number 5034 on plate number 25.1 , according to a Mr. Bob Patterson of Bob’s Entomology Hobby in Maryland (he’s a contributor of that website " photographers group"
Also found it on their Live Moth plates on this page. This is where you can see them as they naturally pose when alive. Lastly, I did find it on the BugGuide site eventually, though their pic was of a vary worn out dull looking moth, I didn’t recognize it when I was looking there before. I have sent them my pic in case they’d like to use it too. Have a great day!
Michelle Nash – Official Nature Nut
PS – I sooooo love your site!
Hi Michelle,
Thank you for following up on your original letter. We get as many as 100 requests per day and have no staff. Only the tiniest fraction can be posted and a few more are given brief answers. As we did not immediately recognize your moth, it was on the back burner until we had time for research. Thank you so much for giving us all the information you discovered. Imagine that amount of web research x 100 letters per day, plus time to reformat and post to a website, and perhaps you will understand our situation.
Large Moth – Possibly Giant Silkworm?
Hi, i took this photo in our front garden earlier – there was also a female in our back garden but i couldnt get a photo. I would love to know what it is, but all the references ive seen have the wings the other way round… Anyway, hope you can identify it. Thanks
Andrew
Hi Andrew,
The Modest Sphinx, depicted in your photo, is sometimes called the Big Poplar Sphinx, but that common name also refers to another species.
what’s this moth?
Hi,
You very kindly identified a moth for me yesterday, and I already have another one! This one looks similar to the vine moth shown in pictures on your site, but the vine moth was described as having a southern distribution, whereas I took this photo in Chetwynd, British Columbia (in June). Also, the markings are a bit different. Any idea what it is?
Thanks!
Melanie
Hi again Melanie,
According to BugGuide, there are 28 species of Tiger Moths in the genus Grammia in North America. We can’t even begin to identify the species, so we hope the genus will do.
moth identification
Hello! Thanks so much for your great webpage! I can usually identify moths on my own but I’m having trouble with a couple we found the other night in Black Mountain, NC. My friend took the following photos (feel free to use them on your site.) We’d love to know what they are. I can’t find this sphinx anywhere! Also, I didn’t see a hydrangea sphinx on your site so I thought you might like this photo, which does a great job showing their color. Thanks in advance!
Eliza & Richard
 |  |
| Spotted Apatelodes | Hydrangea Sphinx |
Hi Eliza and Richard,
Thank you for sending the Hydrangea Sphinx, Darapsa versicolor, photo to us. One of your unidentified moths is not a sphinx, but a a Spotted Apatelodes Moth, Apatelodes torrefacta. This moth ranges from Canada to the Southern state and west to the Mississippi River. It is relatively common in the Appalacian region. It is in the family Bombycidae (Silkworm Moths). The other moth will require some research from us, but sadly, we haven’t time right now.
Blue & Yellow striped head Tiger Moth?
Hi there!
This poor little girl (I think it’s female because it’s antennae are narrow and not super-feathery) was banging up against my sliding glass door during last night’s rain storm, while all other more sensible moths were hiding out in dry places. Based on your myriad of moth photos I’m thinking it’s some sort of Tiger Moth, is this right? I am in the Chicago area and this is my first sighting of this particular type of moth in the 6 years I’ve lived in Kane County Illinois. I hope 3 pics aren’t too many. She was so pretty I felt I had to capture every angle! 
After taking pics, we let her go this morning.
Michelle Nash
Hi Michelle,
We are very excited to get your Tiger Moth photo. It is the second new Tiger Moth species to arrive today. Your specimen is a Banded Tussock Moth, Halysidota tessellaris. According to BugGuide, it is found east of the Rockies and is often attracted to lights.
I like This