Moth'ers, Another interesting night. Strange weather--downright balmy for February--windy with showers and temps hanging steady around 52 through 9 pm. I had about 40 individuals, almost all at my sugar bait with only a couple coming in to the lights. Same characters as last night with the addition of definitely 2, possibly 4, new species for the year. >Eupsilia morrisoni #9936: as usual, by far the most common species; probably about 20 individuals; >Eupsilia vinulenta #9933: about 5 (3 white spotted forms, 2 orange-yellow spotted); >Eupsilia tristigmata #9935: 1 (not sure about this id; could be just strongly marked E. vinulenta; see attached photo; >Lithophane unimoda #9916: about 4 >Lithophane grotei #9915: 1 or 2 of the L. unimoda types had more frosty wings, slightly darker black ground color and slightly more mottled appearance--not sure if this is normal variation in unimoda or the possibility of a different species with grotei a likely candidate; >Lithophane joannis #9889.1: 2; >Lithophane semiusta #9885: 1; seems to key out to this species (I use the keys in Forbes 1954--Lepidoptera of New York and neigboring states) and resembles image on MPG; quite rare across most of it's range and considered endangered in Ohio; a more northern species that ranges down the Appalachians with a record from the Smokies; if I'm correct, this would be the first record for Watauga County and one of few records for the state; specimen collected; image attached; >Pyreferra citrombra #9930: about 4; >Pyreferra hesperidago #9929: 2; see attached images to compare the subtle differences between this and preceding species; >Agonopterix sp.: 2 (the only micro) Curiously, except for the Agonopterix, all of these moths are closely related and are all on the same plate in MPG! Good mothing, Merrill -- J. Merrill Lynch Echo Valley Farm Watauga County, NC Elevation: 3,400 feet
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Eupsilia tristigmata #9935.JPG
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Lithophane semiusta #9885.JPG
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Pyreferra citrombra #9930.JPG
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Pyreferra hesperidago #9929.JPG
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