[tn-moths] A night of mothing in NY
- From: Hugh McGuinness <hdmcguinness@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: TN Moths <tn-moths@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, ncsc-moths@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sun, 24 Jul 2011 21:20:17 -0400
Hey southern Leppers,
I thought you all might be interested in hearing about a good night on
eastern Long Island. Last Friday I decided to go to Montauk, at the eastern
tip of Long Island (Suffolk County). In addition to setting up two MV and
two black lights at a house near Montauk Mountain, I ran four traps at a
local county park. At the house I found more than 130 species (about 70%
photographed) and the traps probably recorded more than 250 species
(although I probably won't count the contents until some time this fall). I
thought with temperatures in the low 80s until after midnight that I would
really have a bonanza, and for the most part that was true. I was a little
disappointed in the lack of unusual Amphipyrines (sensu Hodges) in the
grasslands at the park, but I really have no right complaining as you will
see from the highlights:
Lots of Big Stuff
1 Luna (Actias luna)
6 Polyphemus (Antheraea polyphemus)
1 Promethea (Callosamis promethea)
1 Imperial Moth (Eacles imperialis)--On LI this species only can be found in
Montauk and Shelter Island--it also occurs in the Adirondacks.
5 Royal Walnut Moths (Citheronia regalis)--Montauk is one of two places in
the state where this species persists
Sphinxes were not particularly abundant but included: Azlalea (Darapsa
choerilus), Virginia Creeper (D. myron), Blinded (Paonias excaecatus),
Small-eyed (P myops), Huckleberry (P. astylus), Paw-paw (Dolba hyloeus) and
Pandorus (Eumorpha pandorus).
Before I go on with the highlights, let me get the bad news out of the way:
I recorded 3 Sitochroa palealis, an exotic first recorded in Illinois in
2002, so it took 9 year to travel the 900 miles from there to here. This
after last summer's bad news that Western Bean Cutworm (Striacosta
albicostalis), which is not exotic but a voracious pest species, had made it
from the Chihuahuan desert to Long Island in some 10-15 years.
OK, more good finds included Anacampsis fragariella, a lifer for me,
Unexpected Cycnia (C. imopinatus), Alder Snout (Hypena eductalis), which is
rare and local on LI, the Geometrid-like White-edge (Oruza albocostaliata),
many Harris' Three-spots (Harrisimemna trisignata), my first ever Long
Island record for Funerary Dagger (Acronicta funeralis), the poorly known
Drunken Apamea (A. inebriata--so named because Ferguson was intoxicated when
he had the epiphany that there were two species included within name
verbascoides), a couple of Maroon Fern Moth (Fagitana littera), about 10
Obtuse Yellows (Azenia obstusa), which is rare and local on LI, many of the
stunning (and rare) Pink Streak (Dargida rubripennis), many of the rare and
local Inclined Dart (Dichagyris acclivis)--who made up that terrible common
name? We've got to change that!, Coastal Heathland Cutworm (Abagrotis
nefascia), and Goldenrod Flower Moth (Schinia nundina), which I haven't
recorded in five years. I'm sure there are more great species that I am
omitting, but they will have to await another e-mail. Happy mothing.
Hugh
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