Just 2 moths in the trap last night.  Another Apical Prominent (Clostera apicalis) and a Euxoa sp. that would probably need to be dissected for a confident ID.  I'm hoping that the moth numbers will start to increase with the overnight temperatures over the next few days.

4 macros in the trap last night, the first since May 22nd.  2 Ignorant Apamea (Apamea indocilis) and 2 Army Cutworm moths (Euxoa auxiliaris).  As Gary Anweiler pointed out, there seems to have been a big influx of auxiliaris this year.  Gary also mentioned that auxiliaris makes up a large proportion of the moths which are an important seasonal food for Grizzly Bears on the talus slopes of Wyoming and Montana.  Not an obvious Bear food!



Army Cutworm moth (Euxoa auxiliaris)

Ignorant Apamea (Apamea indocilis)



No moths for the last few nights due to rain and cool temperatures.  Unfortunately, tonight doesn't look much better.  Here's another moth from Twin Butte.  I was struggling to identify this one but Gary Anweiler ID'd it as Papestra quadrata.


Papestra quadrata

Papestra quadrata

Here are a few more moths from my weekend trip in the Twin Butte area.  Thanks to Gary Anweiler for the Small Argent & Sable (Epirrhoe sperryi) ID. 


Morrison's Pero (Pero morrisonaria)

Gray Ethmia Moth (Ethmia monticola)






Alien Probole (Probole alienaria)

Small Argent & Sable (Epirrhoe sperryi)




Anarta farnhami





2 macros in the trap last night, an Apical Prominent (Clostera apicalis), an unidentified Euxoa sp and 2 micros.  I've identified one micro as a Red-banded Leafroller Moth (Argyrotaenia velutinana).  The other may be Gray Leafroller Moth (Syndemis afflictana).  Hopefully I will be able to confirm this after I've photographed it.


Red-banded Leafroller Moth (Argyrotaenia velutinana). 

Apical Prominent (Clostera apicalis)

I put 2 light traps out last night while staying in the Twin Butte area. One by our cabin on top of a hill and one in a wooded area by a river.  Interestingly, I had some nice Geometrid's but only in the trap in the wooded area.  That probably makes sense but I'm glad I used these two different environments.  I'm still ID'ing the moths from the photographs I took this morning but here are a few.  I've also included a picture of a Snowberry Clearwing Moth (Hemaris diffinis) which I photographed while in Waterton PP.  I'll add some additional information re: the Twin Butte moths as get to them.

Snowberry Clearwing Moth (Hemaris diffinis)

6822 Ruddy Metarranthis Moth (Metarranthis duaria)

7822  One-eyed Sphinx Moth (Smerinthus cerisyi)

6964 White Slant-Line Moth (Tetracis cachexiata)

I'm spending a few days in the Twin Butte area in Southern Alberta.  I picked up three new moth species when we arrived at our cabin before it was dark!  There were two Glover's Silkmoths (Hyalophora gloveri), a species that I've been waiting to see for a number of years, a One-eyed Sphinx Moth (Smerinthus cerisyi) and a Sigmoid Prominent Moth (Clostera albosigma).  What a start to the weekend!

Glover's Silkmoth (Hyalophora gloveri)

Glover's Silkmoth (Hyalophora gloveri)

Sigmoid Prominent Moth (Clostera albosigma)

One-eyed Sphinx Moth (Smerinthus cerisyi)



I didn't put the trap out last night due to bad weather and tonight doesn't look any better. Just to add to my posting of the 15th May, it seems that the micro, Blastodacna sp. may, in fact, be a new species waiting for a name and description.  Thanks to Grep Pohl for all the information.

2 macros in the trap this morning.  A new one for the year, Sutrina Moth (hada Sutrina) and another Western Swordgrass (Xylena thoracica).



Western Swordgrass (Xylena thoracica).

Sutrina Moth (hada Sutrina)



Two macros in the trap this morning. One was pretty worn and I haven't managed to ID it yet. The other is either Poplar Kitten (furcula scolopendrina) or Willow Kitten (furcula occidentalis). While I can't be certain, the seasonal distribution of this species would point more towards Willow Kitten (furcula occidentalis). Either way a nice moth. There was also a micro in trap which Greg Pohl identified as a Blastodacna sp. Greg said there are 2 species in Alberta, bicristatella and curvilineella, both rarely collected.

Willow Kitten (furcula occidentalis)

Willow Kitten (furcula occidentalis)



 Blastodacna sp.

 Blastodacna sp.








In spite of another very warm day and night there was only one moth in the trap this morning.  I must admit I initially thought it might be Apamea Sordens but Gary Anweiler ID'd it as another Orthosia segregata which appears to be quite variable.

Orthosia segregata

I was in Lethbridge for the weekend.  The light trap was empty on Saturday but there were two macros in the trap this morning.  A Garden Arches (Lacanobia radix) and new moth for me, a Norman's Quaker Moth (Crocigrapha normani).  It's a little worn but shows the characteristic white apical patch, straight antemedial line and absent subterminal line.

Norman's Quaker Moth (Crocigrapha normani)

It was a good night last night which included two new garden macro's.  The new ones were Willow Dart Moth (Cerastis salicarum) and Orthosia segregata.  Thanks to Gary Anweiler again for the ID's. There was also one Tawny Eupithecia which is my first Geometrid of the year.


Willow Dart Moth (Cerastis salicarum)

Willow Dart Moth (Cerastis salicarum)








Orthosia segregata

Tawny Eupithecia (Eupithecia ravocostaliata)



Two Speckled Green Fruitworm (Orthosia hibisci) moths in the trap this morning.  The first macro's since the 30th.  Also 3 Diamondback moths (Plutella xylostella).  After another day of warm weather hoping for more tonight.

The cool wet weather of the last few days has kept the moths out of my light trap.  However, after digging through some more of last years photographs, I did identify my 200th backyard moth, Thinker Moth, Lacinipolia meditata.  Thanks to Gary Anweiler for confirming the ID.  The weather looks better for tonight so I'm hoping I will have something to post about tomorrow.