Moth'ers, Some good news and some bad news concerning my post on Feb. 21st. First the bad news--I have gotten some feedback from the experts regarding my report of Lithophane pexata. Alas, the verdict is its probably just a well-marked L. antennata (Ashen Pinion) #9910. And on further reflection, I agree. I pulled the trigger just a little too fast on that one... In the excited aura of lifer moths that night, I sent the email out without fully analyzing the possibilities. Oh well, its not the first time and I assure you it won't be the last, either. That mistake is more than made up by the good news: the Eupsilia devia (Lost Sallow) I reported that same night has been corroborated and is probably the second confirmed state record for North Carolina! Did not realize its rarity at the time. And, the Lithophane semiusta I posted to the listserve on Feb 18th has tentatively been confirmed by the experts (awaiting confirmation by specimen examination) and may also be only the second record for NC, the first collected in Great Smoky Mountains NP a few years ago. Both are northern moths that occur in relic populations down the Appalachians. Good mothing, Merrill ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: J. Merrill Lynch <jmerrilllynch@xxxxxxxxx> Date: Mon, Feb 21, 2011 at 9:54 PM Subject: Pinions and Sallows Galore! To: ncsc-moths@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Moth'ers, The best night yet so far this year in Watauga County. Perfect conditions; balmy with temps holding around 54 degrees until 9pm. I had about 65 individuals of 11 species, including three lifers (!!); almost all at my sugar bait except for 3 species of Agonopterix that were attracted to the UV light on the porch. Here is the rundown: Lithophane unimoda #9916 (Dowdy Pinion): 20+ Lithophane joannis #9889.1: 4 *Lithophane pexata #9922 (Plush-naped Pinion): 1 (LIFER)*; at sugar bait; pic attached Eupsilia morrisoni #9936 (Morrison's Sallow): 25+ Eupsilia vinulenta #9933 (Straight-toothed Sallow): 4 (2 orange spotted form and 2 white spotted form) Eupsilia tristigmata #9935 (Three-spotted Sallow): 2 *Eupsilia devia #9939 (Lost Sallow): 1 (LIFER); *at sugar bait; pic attached Pyreferra citrombra #9930 (Citrine Sallow): 2 Agonopterix pulvipennella #0867: 3 (at light sheet) Agonopterix canadensis #0878 (Canadian Agonopterix Moth): 2 (at light sheet) *Agonopterix alstroemeriana #0874.1 (Poison Hemlock Moth): 1 (LIFER); *at light sheet; pic attached -- J. Merrill Lynch Echo Valley Farm Watauga County, NC Elevation: 3,400 feet -- J. Merrill Lynch Echo Valley Farm Watauga County, NC Elevation: 3,400 feet
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