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What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Luna Moth Sighting in Arkansas

On · Category: Luna Moth - Rare Specimen · Add Comment

Subject:  Winged insect
Geographic location of the bug:  Arkansas
Date: 04/22/2019
Time: 08:01 PM EDT
Your letter to the bugman:  Can you tell me what this is ?
How you want your letter signed:  Terri

Luna Moth

Dear Terri,
This beautiful Moth, quite unique among North American species, is a Luna Moth, and we really enjoy posting images of Luna Moths from throughout its range in the eastern part of the continent.

Luna Moth

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What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Earlier Luna Moth Sighting

On · Category: Luna Moth - Rare Specimen · Add Comment

Subject:  Luna Moth
Geographic location of the bug:  Starks, Louisiana
Date: 04/07/2019
Time: 02:26 PM EDT
Your letter to the bugman:  Saw this little one on our window one night. Had to wait till morning to get a picture. March 22,2019
How you want your letter signed:  Bridget

Luna Moth

Dear Bridget,
Thanks for sending in documentation of a Luna Moth you sighted last month.  Your submission is now our earliest reported sighting this year.

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What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Banded Emperor Moth from Zimbabwe

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Subject:  What kind of moth(?) is this?
Geographic location of the bug:  Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
Date: 04/03/2019
Time: 03:37 AM EDT
Your letter to the bugman:  I found this little guy as I was leaving Vic Falls and am trying to figure out of it is in fact a moth and what kind of moth it is? I saw him in January of this year – so Summer.
How you want your letter signed:  Murray

Banded Emperor Moth

Dear Murray,
This is a Giant Silkmoth in the family Saturniidae, and thanks to searching the private World’s Largest Saturniidae site, we have concluded that your individual is one of two species in the genus Cinabra, and we are favoring the Banded Emperor, Cinabra hyperbius.  The species is pictured on African Moths, on Bizland and on iNaturalist.  We will attempt to verify with Bill Oehlke.

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What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

First Luna Moth report for 2019

On · Category: _Featured, Luna Moth - Rare Specimen · 2 Comments

Subject:  Luna moth
Geographic location of the bug:  Orange TX
Date: 04/04/2019
Time: 11:31 PM EDT
Your letter to the bugman:  I’ve never encountered a Luna moth, so I was so excited to see it in the backyard. It’s amazing! When they fly it almost looks like they have tiny legs.
How you want your letter signed:  Stacy

Male Luna Moth

Dear Stacy,
Thanks so much for submitting the first Luna Moth report we received this year.  We always enjoy posting the first Luna Moth sighting each year.  April is quite late for a first submission since we often have January or February sightings reported for Texas and Florida, while sightings from Maine and Canada don’t usually happen until late May or June.

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What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Giant Silkmoth from Costa Rica: Pseudodirphia menander

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Subject:  What’s the name of the bug
Geographic location of the bug:  Costa Rica
Date: 03/22/2019
Time: 12:44 PM EDT
Your letter to the bugman:  Hello,
I went on a trip to Costa Rica and saw multiple bugs. Now I am making a photo book and I would like to know the name of the bugs. Hopefully you can help me.
How you want your letter signed:  H. Appels

Giant Silkmoth: Pseudodirphia menander

Dear H. Appels,
We are posting your image of a Giant Silkmoth, Pseudodirphia menander, which appears to have recently emerged from the pupa and its wings have not yet fully expanded.  We located images of the moth on Discover Life, and there is also an image on BioLib.  Your other images are of a Cicada nymph and a Fishing Spider.

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What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Bug of the Month April 2019: Male Io Moth

On · Category: _Featured, Giant Silk Moths Tagged With: · Add Comment

Subject:  Large ( not huge ) brown moth, two spots
Geographic location of the bug:  Clearwater Florida. West central fla
Date: 03/30/2019
Time: 02:19 PM EDT
Your letter to the bugman:  Large is relative, I suppose.  This was about 1.25 inches long. Doesn’t sound big but it’s a lot larger than any other moth I have seen around here. Thanks.
How you want your letter signed:  Pk

Male Io Moth

Dear Pk,
This is a male Io Moth, one of the smaller of the Giant Silkmoths that are native to North America.  Like many members of the family Saturniidae, Io Moths have large eyespots on the underwings that enable them to frighten predators.  Here is a BugGuide image of an Io Moth with markings similar to your individual.

Thanks!   I wondered if there was more to the wings than it was showing.  Now that you have explained “Underwings” I will be a better moth identifier.  Might even try to intentionally startle a moth to see those eyes.   Thanks a lot!

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What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination