[tn-moths] Re: Anderson Co. FOY's and a "possum-playing" moth
- From: "Nichols, Barry (KYTC)" <Barry.Nichols@xxxxxx>
- To: <tn-moths@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 14 Jun 2011 12:39:36 -0400
It isn’t so much fainting as just pulling legs & wings in and dropping like a
stone…then remaining motionless for as long as they feel the need so that
danger passes. Motion may mean death with animals. Most people will never see
deer at the edge of the woods…until they move.
From: tn-moths-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:tn-moths-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of klight10@xxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Tuesday, June 14, 2011 11:42 AM
To: tn-moths@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [tn-moths] Re: Anderson Co. FOY's and a "possum-playing" moth
I've heard of "fainting" goats, but not moths! Some caterpillars and beetles
will drop off a plant when approached too. I'v noticed when I make a loud
noise, usually when I move the metal step stool, some of the moths fly away.
I'm assuming they hear through their antennae?
Winter mothing sounds like quite a challenge! I may just stick to photographing
snowflakes! :)
Kris
----- Original Message -----
From: "Rikki Hall" <sourpersimmon@xxxxxxxxx>
To: tn-moths@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Monday, June 13, 2011 5:09:19 PM
Subject: [tn-moths] Re: Anderson Co. FOY's and a "possum-playing" moth
"Fainting" is also a defense mechanism against bats. Some species will play
dead in mid-flight if they hear certain high-frequency noises in the range
bats use for echolocation. In flight, playing dead has the advantage of
being both an evasive maneuver and a cessation of the thoracic vibrations
that power flight.
When you've got a swarm of moths to play with, you can simulate bat noises
by jiggling your key ring and see which ones drop from flight or their
perch.
Rikki Hall
On Mon, Jun 13, 2011 at 8:27 AM, kjchilds <kjchilds@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> When I find a moth on the sheet in a bad position for a decent photo, I'll
> nudge it and usually that's all it takes to get it to move to a better
> location. Sometimes when I do this, they fold up and drop like a rock. This
> must be some sort of defense mechanism
>
> Ken Childs
> Henderson, TN
> Chester County
>
> http://tinyurl.com/Kens-Moths-2011
>
> ------------------------------
> *From:* "klight10@xxxxxxxxxxx" <klight10@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> *To:* tn-moths-bounce TN Moth Group <tn-moths@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> *Sent:* Sunday, June 12, 2011 3:39 PM
> *Subject:* [tn-moths] Anderson Co. FOY's and a "possum-playing" moth
>
> I've been a bit behind on my reporting, but here are my latest sightings:
> 5606 – *Pococera asperatella* – Maple Webworm Moth 5-28-11
> 2353 – Homadaula anisocentra – Mimosa Webworm Moth_5-31-11
> 10411 – Lacinipolia laudabilis – Laudable Arches Moth_5-31-11
> 8534 – Plusiodonta compressipalpis – Moonseed Moth_6-2-11
> 3202 – *Epiblema otiosana* – Bidens Borer Moth 5-28-11
> 3235 – *Proteoteras moffatiana* – Maple Bud Borer Moth
> 8011 – *Schizura leptinoides* – Black-blotched Schizura Moth 5-31-11
> 7075 E – Chloropteryx tepperaria – Angle-winged Emerald Moth _6-3-11
> 8230 – Cycnia tenera – Delicate Cycnia Moth_6-3-11
> 9127 – Spragueia leo – Common Spragueia Moth_6-3-11
> 7114 E – Idaea demissaria – Red-Bordered Wave Moth_6-6-11
> 8651 – Lesmone detrahens – Detracted Owlet Moth _6-6-11
> 9725 – Azenia obtusa – Obtuse Yellow Moth _6-6-11
> 7787 – Ceratomia undulosa – Waved Sphinx Moth_6-5-11
> 6941 B – *Eusarca confusaria* – Confused Eusarca Moth 6-6-11
> 8379 – *Renia factiosalis* – Sociable Renia Moth 6-6-11
> 9049 – Maliattha synochitis – Black-dotted Lithacodia Moth 6-9-11
> 0475 – *Paraleucoptera albella* – Cottonwood Leafminer Moth 6-9-11
> 7196 E – *Eulithis diversilineata* – Lesser Grapevine Looper Moth 6-9-11
> 2234 – *Anacampsis coverdalella* – Coverdale's Anacampsis Moth 6-10-11
> 0663 – Neurobathra strigifinitella_6-10-11
> 08991-*Nola cereella* Sorghum Webworm Moth 6-10-11
> 0058.97 – *Ectodoemia spp.* – Unidentified Ectodoemia Moths 6-10-11
> 9062 – *Cerma cerintha* – Tufted Bird-dropping Moth 6-9-11
> 6982 B – *Prochoerodes lineola* – Large Maple Spanworm Moth6-9-11
> 7937 – Furcula cinerea – Gray Furcula Moth_6-11-11
> 0283 – Oenoe hybromella_6-11-11
>
> Last night I spotted a gray moth on the ceiling of the carport. Since the
> car was under it, I got into a very precarious position to try to photograph
> the moth. I decided sitting on the back window probably wasn't such a good
> idea ( I was wondering how I would explain a broken out window to State
> Farm!), so I got a jar and very gently nudged the moth into it. When I got
> down off the car and onto the carport I noticed the moth had its wings
> closed and was laying on its side. I thought, "There is NO WAY I could have
> killed that moth as gently as I moved it!" Sure enough, about 5 minutes
> later it was back up on its feet and had its wings open. When I touched
> the jar lid, it pulled that trick again! How about that, a moth that "plays
> 'possum"! :) I identified it as 7937 – *Furcula cinerea *– Gray Furcula
> Moth.
>
> Kris Light
> Oak Ridge, TN
> Anderson Co.
>
>
>
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