Subject: Really beautiful!
Location: São Paulo, Brazil
April 7, 2013 11:16 am
Hello,
I’ve taken these on the last few days on São Paulo, Brazil.
Could someone help identifying them?
Thanks and best regards
Signature: david.lynch

Wasp Moth

Dear David Lynch,
This is a Wasp Moth in the Tiger Moth tribe Arctiini, and we believe it is either in one of the subtribes Ctenuchina or Euchromiina.  Wasp Moths have evolved to mimic stinging wasps though the moths themselves have no stinging defense mechanisms.  We found a matching image on Project Noah, and it is only identified as a Wasp Moth Ctenuchinae, which is obsolete taxonomy.  We are sending your photos to Tiger Moth expert Julian Donahue to see if he can provide a species identification.

Wasp Moth

Julian Donahue Responds
This is one of my favorite Neotropical ctenuchids: the moth with the fuzzy red racing stripe. It’s in the genus Dinia, either mena (more likely) or eagrus; John Rawlins has been revising the genus but I don’t think it’s been published yet. This moth is demonstrating a behavior common to this group of moths (useful for observing or collecting them): it is sucking the juice from a bruised or wilted plant that contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids, thought to confer protection to the adult moth by making it distasteful to predators. The moths are brightly colored to advertise their distastefulness (aposematism), and many species are diurnal. The most common plants containing these compounds are heliotrope (Heliotropium) and allies in the Boraginaceae, and composites (Asteraceae) related to Eupatorium.
Julian

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Subject: Pretty bug
Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba
April 6, 2013 10:32 am
Hello,
During a family trip to the zoo we came across this pretty and interesting bug. However, I just can’t seem to figure out what kind he/she is. Thank you
Signature: Puzzled

Painted Lichen Moth

Dear Puzzled,
This pretty moth is a Painted Lichen Moth, Hypoprepia fucosa, and according to BugGuide: “adults fly from May to August in the north; perhaps most of the year in Florida,” which would indicate that your individual is very early.  The ratio of black to orange on the wings is highly variable, and your individual is especially dark.

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Subject: Night butterfly or moth
Location: costa rica
March 24, 2013 2:21 pm
a beautifull insect from Peninsula de Osa
Signature: fred from belgium

Tiger Moth: Amastus aconia

Hi Fred,
We took a brief break from gardening to answer the phone and then checked the computer, and we got sucked into trying to identify this lovely Tiger Moth.  We found an identification request on InsectNet where it is identified as Amastus aconia.  There is a link to a live specimen on TropicLeps.  Now we have to weed the vegetable patch and get the tomato, jalapeño and basil plants in the ground.

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Subject: Insect Identification
Location: Arizona (specifics in letter)
March 16, 2013 5:17 pm
I’ve taken photos of two different insects on hikes in Arizona which I have been unable to identify. Can you help? The red one landed on me at Red Mountain, northwest of Flagstaff, and the gold and black one was on a leaf in Sycamore Canyon, northwest of Cottonwood. I will appreciate any names and other insight you can provide me. Thanks.
Signature: Tyger Gilbert

Arid Eudesmia

Hi Tyger,
Normally we really dislike getting more than one insect in an identification request, but in your case, it is totally appropriate and perfectly fine.  Both of your moths are Lichen Moths in the tribe Lithosiini.  The orange and black striped moth is an Arid Eudesmia, Eudesmia arida, and you may read more about it on BugGuide where the range is listed as “AZ-TX / Mex – BAMONA” and it states:  “larvae feed on lichens growing on rocks, walls, or cliffs.”  The red Lichen Moth does not have a common name, but we identified it as Lycomorpha fulgens on BugGuide where it states the range is:  “southern California; Arizona.” 

lichen_moth_tiger

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Subject: Moth sp.
Location: Amazon Manu Lodge, Madre de Dios, Peru
March 12, 2013 8:49 am
I think this is a moth, but I can’t find anything like it on internet. Maybe some kind of Cosmosoma?
Photo taken November 11, 2009.
Signature: Kristian

Tiger Moth

Hi Kristian,
We don’t necessarily agree that your moth is in the genus Cosmosoma, but we do agree that it is most likely in the subtribe Euchromiina that includes that genus.  You can see the genera included in the subtribe Euchromiina on BugGuide.  We thought we were lucky when we discovered the Moth PHotographers Group Arctiid Moths of Peru by Jim Vargo page, but this species is not pictured there.  We will check with our friend and Arctiid specialist Julian Donahue to see if he recognizes your moth, one of the Wasp Mimic species of Tiger Moths.

Tiger Moth

Got me!! as the amateur I am in this jungle of creatures! Anyway, the Cosmosoma was just a desperate struggle in the dark. I came across a site on the net with a lot of beautiful photos of butterflies and moths. By watching these photos the Cosmosoma was the closest I could come my moth. But most of them (on the photos on this site) had clear (transparent) wings, but with “glowing” spots on body and wings, like the one on my photo. Looking forward to hear from you if Julian Donahue can solve the problem.
Thanks in advance!
Kristian

Julian Donahue Responds
Hi Daniel,
I just don’t have time to try to look this one up right now. All I can say is it’s a female ctenuchine.
I’m copying this, with images, to a ctenuchid expert colleague in São Paulo, Lívia Pinheiro, to see if she can come up with a name for you. (She might be a good future resource for names on South American ctenuchines.)
Julian

Julian writes again
Daniel,
Here’s an ID for you, from Livia Pinheiro.
Julian

Hi Julian,
It is from the genus Euclera. I don’t know the species, it is identified as E. hoffmannsi in MUSM, but I don’t know based on what. I have the photo of the type of E. hoffmannsi, it is a male and it looks very alike it, and as far as I remember there is sexual dimorphism on the hindwings, so it is possible that the identification is correct.
Cheers

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Subject: Identification
Location: Florida Keys USA
February 19, 2013 6:10 pm
I found this small fly? at my home in the Florida Keys, USA recently – February 2013.
I cannot determine what it is.
Thank you.
Signature: Curious in Florida

Spotted Oleander Caterpillar Moth

Dear Curious in Florida,
This is a moth, not a fly.  It is a Spotted Oleander Caterpillar Moth, Empyreuma affinis, and according to BugGuide, it is:  “Apparently an introduced species from the Carribean.”

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Subject: Iridescent flying insect in South Africa
Location: Port Shepstone, +-100 km South of Durban, South Africa
February 20, 2013 4:20 am
Hi there – my mom who lives on the east coast of South Africa (Port Shepstone) took this shot of a lovely iridescent insect in her garden. Is it a type of colourful moth perhaps?
Wonderful site by the way
Signature: Cat Robinson

Unknown Arctiid Moth

Dear Cat,
This is one of the Tiger Moths in the subfamily Arctiinae, but our quick search did not turn up a species match.  Many moths in this group mimic wasps.  We will contact Tiger Moth specialist Julian Donahue to see if he can provide a species identification.

Julian Donahue provides an identifidation:  Euchromia amoena
This appears to be an excellent match for Euchromia amoena (Möschler, 1872), apparently widespread in southern Africa.
“Amoena” is from the Latin, meaning “pleasant” or “delightful,” so you can coin your own common name if you’re unable to find one already in use.
Julian

Thanks Julian,
There is a matching image on Encyclopedia of Life.

Thank you so much for this! You are really providing a wonderful service – greatly appreciated J
Kind regards,
Cat Robinson

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