Subject: Beautiful moth with crazy hair
Geographic location of the bug: Bernardsville, New Jersey
Date: 09/09/2017
Time: 12:41 AM EDT
This moth was photographed around 10AM on an Eastern purple coneflower. It mostly held still but occasionally nectared with short bursts of activity. It held still for many, many photographs and did not care how close I got to it. Various bees were visiting the flower and jostling up next to the moth but it held its space, not bothered by the bees. It was still on the same coneflower at 3:30 that same day, still very much alive.
How you want your letter signed: Jane
Dear Jane,
It took us quite a bit of searching before we were able to match your interesting looking Owlet Moth to an image on The Moth Photographers Group of the Goldenrod Stowaway Moth, Cirrhophanus triangulifer. According to BugGuide: “Adults may be found during the day on the flowers of goldenrod (Solidago spp.), Coreopsis species, Bidens species, and other yellow composites, where they are well-concealed.”