Marvelous Moths

As I was walking along a path in the woods the other evening, I discovered a very pretty brown moth that was destined to be the spotlight of my next blog.  He had fluttered silently past me and seemed to disappear. Upon closer inspection I found he had simply landed on the bark up under a fallen log, blending perfectly into his surroundings. I tried many different painful positions to get a good angle for a picture, and finally ended up just lying on my belly, lens pointing up. Now comes the funny story...As I was taking pictures, while simultaneously swatting mosquitoes, I heard some strange noises. As I looked behind me I could see three very wide-eyed, curious deer watching me through the brush. I'm sure they were trying to figure out what in the world I was doing wallowing around in the leaves and sticks, muttering to myself! Then, over my right shoulder, I caught sight of the biggest fox squirrel I've ever seen stretched out on a limb, also watching me and appearing amused. The sounds he was making almost sounded like he was chuckling. I swear, for a minute I felt just like Snow White in the enchanted forest! I would not have been surprised if 7 dwarfs would have come skipping down the path! The deer and squirrel remained close by as I continued my moth photo shoot.

 I am pretty this moth is a Barberry Geometer (Coryphista Meadii), family Geometridae. He is definitely a realy beauty with the deep, rich browns, wavy patterns and deeply scalloped wing edges.

This next little beauty is a Yellow Slant-lined Moth (Tetracis-crocallata), also in the family Geometridae. This particular one is more of a buff color, with tiny brown speckles and a brown line on the forewing that continues onto the hindwing. He was on a leaf amongst some  low-growing foliage and his shape and color contrast caught my eye. Very pretty!

This next moth is so cool! It is the Plume Moth (family Pterophoridae). This family is very distinctive and easily recognized, but individual species can be very challenging since there are over 140 different ones. This moth has a characteristic "T-shape" or "airplane posture". They actually resemble the grasses that they are hiding in, and can go unnoticed. This particular one never moved as I took pictures. I think he looks kind of comical!

Here is a different plume moth-I love these guys!

Here is a moth I saw resting on a rock formation that I can't identify. I just don't know enough about the field marks to make a positive ID. I'll keep researching. He is very pale and very pretty-very good camouflage on the texture of the rock.

Large Lace Border Moth (Scopula limboundata) 

The common name perfectly describes the pretty markings on this moth.

I'm trying my hand at hanging a sheet with a black light to attract moths. We are in the middle of town, but I've gotten a few interesting moths (at least to me since I am new to this hobby). I believe this one is the Common Armyworm Moth ( Mythimna unipuncta).

I really love the pattern on this Pale Tiger Moth (Halysiodata tessellaris). The coloration is so beautiful and the texture of his wings resembles linen. One thing I dislike about taking pictures at night with a light and sheet are that you cannot capture the beauty of the moth from the front. I always love to get an angle that captures the amazing beauty of the eyes and face.

A closeup of the Ipsilon Dart Moth (Agrotis ipsilon). I was not able to get a good shot of the wings from above, but I'm sure he will be back soon. I love his color and texture!

Dot-lined White Moth (Artace cribraria)

After tucking in his antennae...

This little golden one is the Beggar Moth (Eubaphe mendica).  Such a delicate creature! The ones I've seen seem to be very skittish.

This one is the Three-spotted Fillip Moth (Heterophleps triguttaria). I've seen lots of these throughout the foliage along the paths in the woods.

This Pale Gray Bird Dropping Moth (Antaeotricha schlaegeri) has an excellent camouflage! I seriously would have overlooked it as tiny bird doo doo, but I am getting better at spotting these clever little critters! This one seemed to be resting quite comfortably. There is also an almost identical species, Antaeotricha leucillana. The leucillana's tuft is usually more of a paler brown instead of dark, and it is also about a third smaller than the schlaegeri. I guess this could be either, but I'm only going by the tuft color, which was very dark. This is the first one I've seen so I cannot make a comparison either by size or color of tuft. 

The Long-horned Fairy Moth (Adela caeruleella) is quite small, but with very long antennaes. Depending on the angle of light, the wings can appear dark, or with very colorful metallic accents. I only had a brief second for a couple of photos, then *poof* she was gone, just like Tinkerbell!

Ahhh, such a beauty to the human eye, although to a predator this is another moth whose camouflage is to roll up his wings to make himself look like bird droppings! The actual name of this moth is the Beautiful Wood-nymph Moth (Eudryas grata). It is in the Family Noctuidae, the largest family in the Lepidoptera. This one is at rest and he really didn't mind my walking around him taking a few photos. He will most likely not move from this resting spot until after dark, when this species becomes active. I would love to see one with the wings spread out; they have such beautiful colors and patterns.

This moth is in the Family geometridae. It is most likely the Promiscuous Angle Moth (Macaria promiscuata) Thank you, Roger, for correcting me! . They have an interesting dark brown spot pattern on each wing that reminds me of a paw print of a cat! I'll have to watch for them and get more pictures in the future to note the differences between the Promiscuous and the Common Angle Moth (Macaria aemulataria).

Below is the very secretive Leaf Folder Moth (Desmia maculalis). This micro moth is tiny and always wants to land upside-down on the underside of leaves. I've only seen a few of these little guys and always lose sight of them during the chase through the foliage. I see them flying low, fluttering around the grasses and leaves. The coloration of the white spots against the dark wings always catches my eye.

 False Crocus Geometer Moth (Xanthotype urticaria). The pattern on this one is lighter and a bit harder to distinguish than normal. These are very pretty moths!

The False Crocus Geometer Moth below, has a pattern that is much more distinguishable for this species.

This moth is in the family, Tortricidae. The rounded shoulders and squared tips of the forewings are a trait of this family of moths. This particular one is the Three-lined Leaf Roller Moth (Pandemis limitata).

This striking little moth is the Snowy Urola Moth (Urola nivalis).  I found

him resting on a plant right alongside the Delicate Cycthnia Moth  (pictured below the photos of the Snowy Urola Moth.)

A closer view of his face...

Here is a very pretty moth with creamy white wings and creamy yellow along the outer borders of wings and head. Thanks again to Roger Grossenbacher for helping me with the identification. This is a Delicate Cycthnia Moth (Cycnia tenera). BugGuide.Net states that the word "tenera" is a Latin word meaning "soft, tender, delicate". Such an accurate description of this beautiful creature!

A closer view of his face...

This is the Hollow-spotted Blepharomastix Moth (Blepharomastix ranalis)...Looks like he has Hershey's syrup drizzled over his wings. Well, that is not very scientific, but it may help me remember this moth in the future!

Unidentified micro moth....

Here is a neat micro moth-He was really tiny and while observing him I noticed he constantly worked his tail, which actually fooled you into thinking that end was the head! So cool to watch. He had very unique markings and from above, almost looks like a happy face! This is a Sedge Moth-most likely Glyphipterix circumscriptella

A little closer view...

Below, a unique bird's eye view that resembles a face...most likely a coloration that works to deter or confuse a predator.

This is the Spotted Thyris Moth (Thyris maculata). I'm amazed at their beauty, grace and tiny size!

Different angle...

The next two pictures below are the Grayish Zanclognatha Moth (Zanclognatha pedipilalis)

Unidentified...

Below is the Confused Eusarca (Eusarca Confusaria). In my opinion, this moth resembles the Slant-line Moth except the Confused Eusarca has semi-circle markings on its shoulders. I think the Confused Eusarca is also similar in appearance to the Least Marked Euchlaena. There are so many species of moths that closely resemble other species--one of the challenges I enjoy!

These are the Virginian Tiger Moth (Spilosoma virginica) pictures I took last year. I wanted to include them with the rest of the moths. I loved observing this beautiful creature-I had disturbed him while cleaning up a brush pile in the yard and he flew to the grass and remained still as a furry statue! Absolutely gorgeous!

I was delighted to find that this  Eight-Spotted Forester (Alypia octomaculata) was on the side of my house above my flowers one morning. I love the bright orange tufts on his legs. Very beautiful!

Below is the White Spotted Sablemoth (Anania funebris). It is very similar in appearance to the Eight-Spotted Forester, but notice it does not have the orange tufts. It could easily be mistaken for a butterfly!

Note that earlier in this post I pictured a Grape Leaf Folder Moth, which is also very similar to this White Spotted Sable Moth.

Here is a moth with pretty browns and grays. It is the Six-spotted Gray Moth (Spargaloma sexpunctata). Notice the three very small spot-like marks forming a narrow triangle near the apex of each wing.

Here is a closer view.  (He reminds me of a dragon!)

Red Velvet Mite-Tiny Treasure of the Forest Floor

 I was literally on a treasure hunt this cold, Spring afternoon as I carefully turned over big pieces of bark and rotted logs, eagerly anticipating whatever I may find.  I get to meet the most amazing members of the forest community this way! I am enthralled every single time I play this "game." There is nothing I love more than photographing nature, and there is nothing that makes me kneel to the ground faster than discovering something I've never seen before! 

I was not disappointed today! I lifted a shred of bark from the cool, moist leaf litter and immediately knew that the tiny, brilliant red dot that accented the dark earth was going to lead me on another adventure into the unknown! I photographed this teeny speck of color as best I could, but since he was only about the size of the point of a pencil, I didn't even know if he would be in focus.  Luckily, I got one decent shot. As amazingly bright red as he was, he disappeared like magic into the dull, decayed plant material.

This Red Velvet Mite is not an insect, but an eight-legged arachnid arthropod (related to spiders and scorpions). Their legs have a unique arrangement; they are in four sets of two. These mites are members of the subphylum, Chelicerata (organisms possessing tiny lobster-like claws that function as mouth parts).  They are found worldwide within leaf litter, under logs, and within the layers of decayed material of the forest and woodland floors. As you can see, the "hairs" on their bodies and legs actually make it appear as if they are covered in soft, red velvet.

To begin life, the larvae of this mite hatch from eggs, and survive initially as a parasites, attaching themselves to other arthropods and feeding on their blood. A good example of this behavior is shown in the picture below that I took last summer of a female scorpion fly with a red mite larva attached to the back of its head.

The larva depends on a host, but it will eventually mature, detach itself, and make its home in the soil. Once mature and living in the soil, the red velvet mite becomes a predator and will keep busy devouring many species of small insects and their eggs. They can even be cannibalistic, devouring other mites and their eggs. They have very few natural enemies due to their bright red color, which indicates to everything around them how terrible they taste! In fact, experiments have shown that when they were offered as prey, they were either refused or immediately spat out.

These mites exhibit an interesting mating behavior...the male will deposit sperm onto leaves and twigs, and then lay down a trail that leads to the sperm. This trail attracts the female, and if she successfully follows the path she will then sit in the sperm. If another male finds a sperm trail that is not his product, he will destroy it and lay down his own to ensure that the next lucky female will be fertilized by him.  This behavior also involves a type of mating "dance" with the male and female encircling each other and tapping each other with their forelegs.

 The presence of the red velvet mite is very critical to the environment. I liken their existence to that of "team players"; their role, along with other beneficial terrestrial arthropods, being to participate in the decomposition process within the soil matter, and humus of the forest floor. Due to their parasitism in the larval stage and appetite in their mature stage, they also play an important role in pest control. It is very interesting that such a tiny organism plays such an integral part of maintaining a healthy ecosystem.  

Tiny Aquatic Wonders!

Late last summer when I discovered the superb camouflage system that a lacewing larva utilizes for survival, I thought it was one of the most ingenious things mother nature could come up with! Well, now that spring has sprung, my camera and curiosity have revealed yet another huge, yet tiny marvel!!

Maybe I should have named this post, "The Art of Incognito." Incognito is synonymous with concealed, camouflaged, disguised, hidden, and unrecognized; words that definitely describe the appearance of the fragile Caddisfly Larvae. Keep in mind that I have never seen or heard of a caddisfly, but I have done a lot of reading since observing this species in the cold, clear streams at Wildcat Hollow, part of the Wayne National Forest near Burr Oak.

First of all, an adult Caddisfly (order Trichoptera) resembles a small moth with long antennas that is mostly active at night. Some have patterned wings, while others are dull-colored. They are attracted to light as most moths are. What I was fascinated with, however, is the larval stage of this delicate little creature. Take a look at this macro shot to see the beauty of the protection plan that this larva has literally put into place.

The larval stage is completely aquatic, and this photo shows this particular larva crawling and feeding along the bottom of a stream. (I'm shooting through the surface of the water. The depth was about 5 inches). 

A Caddisfly larva looks somewhat like a tiny worm or caterpillar. The larvae have devised a system of protection by taking bits of materials from whatever environment they are living in, and constructing a case from those materials, which they will live inside throughout this stage of their life. This casing  becomes a mobile shelter. They pull it around with them wherever they go.  As you can see, this case perfectly matches their environment, and if you aren't looking very closely, you would never even notice the hundreds of these little guys that may be present. (Believe me, there were hundreds of these little beauties in the streams at Wildcat Hollow). A large population is actually a great thing; it is an indicator of a healthy stream, as they cannot survive in  polluted water.

The larva constructs the case by first spinning a silken net around their body, which acts like a "glue" to which they can attach materials from their surroundings. (Remember, this is all done under water, and frequently it is rather swift-moving water). This particular little guy has cut up tiny pieces of leaf and bark and overlapped them much like shingles or tiles around the length of his body. The colors and patterns are just gorgeous on some of them! I truly consider them little architects and artists! Actually, there are several different species of caddisflies, and they are identified by the materials the larvae choose for their casings. Some use bits of leaves and bark (like the one pictured above), while others use plant material and twigs. Still others will use grains of sand, small rocks and pieces of shells. There is even a species that uses just the silk netting, and one type of species that doesn't use a casing at all. Interestingly, if you take one of these larva out of its case, put it into an aquarium of beads, colored stones, colored sands, etc., it will construct a beautiful casing from these artificial materials! 

The picture below is of a caddisfly larva with a much more crudely constructed casing. I don't know if he has outgrown his case, or if this is a different species that uses bigger pieces of bark and twigs. The twig along his side was "glued" to the bark on his back in quite a different fashion than the other ones I observed.

Indubitably, SURVIVAL is of extreme importance in every species, whether it be plant or animal. Every form of life miraculously has a plan and a purpose. These little organisms didn't even have to complete Survival Skills 101 in order to learn this tactic...it is just the way nature is programmed through evolution. 

As the larva outgrows its casing, it simply builds another one. It will spend several months, even up to a year in this stage, and then as it begins to reach maturity, it will attach the case to something substantial in the stream,  and seal itself up to pupate. After the pupa has developed into an adult, it cuts itself out of the casing and swims or crawls to the surface as quickly as possible (to avoid being eaten). After climbing onto a rock or leaf, the adult sheds its pupal membrane and emerges as an oxygen-breathing adult caddisfly and flies away! The adult then spends most of its short life mating and laying eggs on the water.

Needless to say,  caddisfly larvae are a very important piece of a healthy ecosystem. The larvae feed on dead plant and animal material in the streams, thus breaking down matter and cleaning the water, and also provide food for fish, salamanders, frogs, and other aquatic organisms.

The next time you are around a stream, look very closely for tiny elongated bits of leaves or gravel that appear to be making their way along the bottom. Chances are you will be observing this little aquatic wonder!

A Copiousness of Crayfish!

The streams were certainly busy today, with an abundance of aquatic life forms, including several of these 1/2-inch long "baby" crawfish. They quickly dashed in and out between rocks and submerged leaves as if they were intentionally teasing me!  They were almost opaque and just barely discernible against the texture of the rocky stream bottom. They would literally disappear in an instant, and it was a real challenge getting a clear picture of one due to their almost microscopic size and quick as a wink mobility. These freshwater crustaceans, like the other creatures in this particular blog, are also great indicators of healthy streams. They absolutely cannot tolerate polluted water, which says a lot for the streams at Wildcat Hollow since there were LOTS of them!



Southern 2-Lined Salamander Larvae

Once you start scrutinizing every tiny little thing in a stream, it is really amazing at the myriad of creatures you will see moving about! Seriously, there are organisms of all shapes and sizes scurrying, swimming, crawling and generally going about their business in this aqueous environment.  As I was trying to focus on a minuscule crawdad darting about under the rocks,  I noticed this salamander peering into a hole in a fairly calm portion of the water. The hole looked deep and black, and the salamander seemed very curious as to what was in it.

 Luckily the water in these particular streams are amazingly clear. After a few seconds he lifted his head and I could see that he was not yet mature due to the presence of gills on the sides of his head (resembling feathery projections), as you can see on the picture below. I believe this whopping 1 1/2-inch long at best critter, to be a Southern 2-lined salamander larvae. I could be mistaken, but after looking at pictures of all the different species of salamanders that live in streams in Ohio, the  Southern 2-lined salamander is what I feel he most closely resembles. There are actually 25 species of salamanders in Ohio, but 10 species utilize the flowing waters of streams, where they will deposit eggs and develop as larvae.

Simply getting a picture did not satisfy my need to know more about this miniature vertebrate, so I began my quest to learn more about him.  The Southern 2-Lined Salamander is from the family Plethodontidae, or Lungless Salamander. The larvae of this particular species are aquatic and will remain in this stage for up to 2 years, but become semi-aquatic when mature. At this point after metamorphosis, they will lose their gills but will still lack lungs.  Respiration is conducted through the skin and specialized tissues lining their mouth. Once mature, the skin of these salamanders must be kept moist, so they live in damp environments and may be found near streams in moist leaf litter, under rocks, decaying logs, etc.

The presence of this species and other salamanders can be considered a good indication of healthy streams, ponds, rivers, vernal pools and basically all environments in which they live and breed. Ohio has a monitoring program in place to study and document the populations of certain species of salamanders to more closely understand how they interact with possible changes in water and environmental conditions. Their population can be threatened if their habitat is disturbed or polluted, so careful monitoring is crucial. Salamanders are also protected by law in Ohio and permits are required for collection or capture. I hope to discover and photograph many more of the beautiful and interesting species of amphibians as spring continues to encourage new life!

Alien-like Arthropods

The insect world definitely contains some totally wacky, creepy, kooky creatures!  In fact, viewing some species through my macro lens conjures up ideas of aliens, sci-fi and fantasy! Take for instance our first exhibit...when I first saw him he was literally a tiny, moving dot on a leaf. But, a peek through my camera viewfinder made me wonder what in the world (or out of this world) he was! Seriously, look at those eyes! That translucent shield and those spiked legs are just freaky!

Actually this very common member of "Arthropoda" is known as a Leafhopper. For those wondering what an arthropod is, it is the largest animal group on earth.  This group of animals include the invertebrates (animals without backbones). Arthropods are identified as having an exoskeleton, segmented body and jointed appendages, and includes the insects, arachnids and crustaceans. By the way, arthropods are the most successful animals on the planet!

Ok, back to our leafhopper. They belong to the family Cicadellidae in the order Hemiptera. This particular one has not yet reached maturity so it is referred to as a "nymph". Leafhoppers eat plant sap so they have piercing-sucking mouthparts and rows of spine-like setae (hairs) on their hind legs. I have no idea which species this might be! He was actually very beautifully colored. His body was basically a mint green, with pinkish legs and yellow eyes trimmed in bright orange. The large eyes provide this insect with excellent sight and the REALLY long legs enable him to make a lickity-split hop out of sight if necessary! Now you see him...now you don't!

Leafhoppers are found in every habitat that supports vascular plants, on every continent and ecosystem in the world. These insects have changed very little since the time of the dinosaurs. In fact there are some regions that contain leafhopper fossils from 35-55 million years ago that are indistinguishable from species found today in those same regions. Like many other insects, they communicate with each other by producing songs through special sound-producing organs on their abdomens called "tymbals". Of course, these songs are inaudible to the human ear. I read when an adult sits on a leaf and calls to a mate, the song makes the plant vibrate! Interesting, huh?

The picture below is of an adult leafhopper (probably not the same species as the nymph pictured above). This is the Red-banded Leafhopper (Graphocephala coccinea), also known as the Candy-striped Leafhopper or the Scarlet and Green Leafhopper. Many leafhopper species are brilliantly colored and patterned, although others are green/brown. This one is secreting "honeydew" (see the droplet at the end of the abdomen). Honeydew is a sweet substance that is produced after digesting the plant sap, and it is eaten by ants, wasps and other insects that are attracted to sweets.

Phlox Plant Bug (Lopidea Davisi)

The proboscis on this Phlox Plant Bug looks like your grandmother's darning needle! As you can see, this insect has piercing-sucking mouth parts that are used to inject tissue-dissolving saliva into a plant, then suck up the fluids. This bug has developed such a liking to the phlox plant, it was named after it! The phlox plant bug feeds on and breeds on wild phlox, but is considered a pest of cultivated phlox.

The early morning dew drop really puts the size of this insect into perspective! He may be small, but his   coloration speaks LOUD AND CLEAR! His bright orange and black aposematic colors act as an "advertisement" to predators that he may be toxic or distasteful (part of his survival plan)! Aposematism is an adaptation in nature that allows an organism to escape harm by mimicking other organisms that are harmful to predators if eaten. Colors, sounds, odors or other characteristics are displayed that can "fool" predators to believe they will be toxic if eaten. In this case, the coloration is a well-known "red flag" to predators that this meal could be bad!

The picture below clearly demonstrates how this insect is easily able to puncture and gorge himself on plant juice!

This next creature is the Virginia Ctenuchid Moth (Ctenuchid Virginica). I saw him feeding in a large, quiet meadow in West Virginia and was attracted to his brilliance and long dark wings.  I thought they appeared similar to a long dark cloak. In fact, if Gotham City existed in the insect world, this would definitely be the Caped Crusader aka Batman! I definitely see a resemblance! This beautiful moth has a striking appearance with his metallic blue-green thorax that is accented by his bright yellow-orange head. I believe this is a female because the male has magnificent feathery antennas. This one's antennas are not nearly as feathery as those of the handsome male. The adults fly primarily in the daytime and feed on nectar.

Yikes! Now this one does look very alien-like! This bizarre bug is a Crane Fly (genus Nephrotoma). I wont' even try to guess the species since there are so many that are similar. This gangling fellow may resemble a giant mosquito, but he actually belongs to a group of harmless flies.  They do not bite and in fact, most adults do not even eat. They have a very short life span of about 10-15 days. The most important function of the adult is mating and egg-laying and they require water more than they require food.

Crane flies serve an important role in the ecosystem, as the larva and adults serve as a food source for many animals such as birds, frogs, lizards, spiders, dragonflies and many other insects. The crane fly larvae are detritus feeders (they eat organic material), which helps to enrich and renew the soil.

They are rather strange looking, but I still think they are beautiful in their own way!



Here is another type of fly known as the Marsh Fly (family Sciomyzidae). This odd-looking insect is actually also known as "snail killer" because they will lay eggs on snails, slugs and other mollusks, and the larvae will then parasitize the organism.

 The marsh fly is slender, has prominent eyes, forward pointing antennas and bristles on the upper hind legs. They have various brown markings on their wings that differ with each species. They feed on dew, nectar and tree sap. They are found around ponds, rivers, and marshy areas throughout North America where there are abundant snails and mollusks that serve as the food source for their larvae.


Lord of June! This is one of the names given to the  Common Green Darner (Anax junius).
This very large dragonfly resembles a fighter pilot as he patrols swiftly back and forth over his hunting grounds on ponds, lakes and other bodies of water. They are one of the fastest and largest dragonflies in North America.

 

They have also been referred to as "mosquito hawks" because they feed on many insects harmful to humans, especially mosquitoes. This agile, carnivorous predator has tremendous flying speeds and astounding eyesight that enable them to grab their prey right out of the air. They have powerful jaws and a huge appetite, which is a terror to winged insects that cross their path, but very beneficial to us! Their green and blue markings are very brilliant, and the wings shimmer in the sunlight. I love to watch them hunt and hear the sound of their wings as they do fly-by's! I was very lucky to find this one warming up in the sun...you won't see them land very often!