There were 61 macro moths of  23 species in the light and bait traps last night.  2 species were new for the year,  Two-spot Dart (Protolampra rufipectus) and Sharp-lined Yellow (Sicya macularia) and 1 was new for the backyard, Scallop Shell (Rheumaptera undulata).  I have seen Scallop Shell in the UK but hadn't realised it was a North American species.  Incidentally, other common names for Sicya macularia are Pink-bordered Yellow or Two-pronged Looper so you can take your pick :).  I also recorded a rather large Pyralid, Large Tabby Moth (Aglossa pinguinalis).

Scallop Shell (Rheumaptera undulata)

Two-spot Dart (Protolampra rufipectus)

Sharp-lined Yellow (Sicya macularia)

Sharp-lined Yellow (Sicya macularia)

Large Tabby Moth (Aglossa pinguinalis)

It was another good night and I have now exceeded last year's number of backyard macro species at 150!  The bait trap continues to pay dividends with a new Underwing, Semirelict Underwing Moth (Catocala semirelicta).  Thanks to Gary Anweiler for identifying this species.  I initially thought it was Catocala meskei but the habitat is wrong and after closer inspection the wing pattern is more like semirelicta.  It seems that Underwings have been appearing somewhat earlier this year continuing the unusual nature of some Lepidoptera sightings in Alberta.  There were 81 moths of 25 species in the traps plus 2 noctuids that I haven't confidently id'd yet.  Including the Semirelict Underwing, there were 2 new backyard species last night, the other new moth being a nice Geometrid, Zenophleps alpinata. There was also one new backyard species for the year, Euxoa ochrogaster.  I'm including photographs of a Great Gray Dart (Eurois occulta), as this was the first one I've had this year that was undamaged and another Olive Arches (Lacinipolia olivacea) that shows some interesting rosy hues  The normal form of Olive Arches I see in my backyard has green hues.

Semirelict Underwing Moth (Catocala semirelicta)

Semirelict Underwing Moth (Catocala semirelicta)

Zenophleps alpinata

  Great Gray Dart (Eurois occulta)

Euxoa ochrogaster

Olive Arches (Lacinipolia olivacea)

I staged a very small backyard moth evening last night as my contribution to National Moth Week.  Actually, there were just four of us. Unfortunately, the temperature dropped quite quickly so there were not a great number of moths. In fact, I only recorded 30 moths of  15 species but we did see 2 new backyard species for the year, Pointed-winged Wave (Scopula ancellata) and American Ear Moth (Amphipoea americana).  In addition to this I found two mating Police Car Moths (Gnophaela vermiculata) in the grass a few hours before sunset.  We've seen Police car moths in our backyard before but they have never settled so this was a nice surprise.  I've included a photograph of a Satyr Comma that turned up in my bait trap this afternoon.  Not quite as exciting as the Question mark, which apparently was only the second confirmed sighting for Alberta but nice to see that the bait trap is working.

American Ear Moth (Amphipoea americana)

Police Car Moth (Gnophaela vermiculata)



Pointed-winged Wave (Scopula ancellata)

 Satyr Comma (Polygonia satyrus)

 Satyr Comma (Polygonia satyrus)

96 macros moths of 32 species in the light and bait traps last night excluding one noctuid that I'm trying to identify.  The main story for me was that my bait trap finally turned up an Underwing (catocala) species.  Trying to see more underwings was one of the main reasons I purchased a bait trap so this is good news.  The earliest I've recorded an underwing previously is late August so I'm hoping that this is just the start. It was a Briseis Underwing (Catocala briseis) so not a new garden species but a nice new species for the year.

Briseis Underwing (Catocala briseis)

Briseis Underwing (Catocala briseis)

A drier night revealed 74 macros of 23 species which included a new macro moth for the backyard, Included Cordgrass Borer Moth (Photedes includens).  I also id'd a new micro for the backyard, Choristostigma plumbosignalis.  I've included images of Double Lobed moth (Apamea ophiogramma) and Smoked Sallow (Enargia infumata) as these were nice specimens.

Choristostigma plumbosignalis

Included Cordgrass Borer Moth (Photedes includens)

Included Cordgrass Borer Moth (Photedes includens)

Red-spot Polia (Lacinipolia davena)

Smoked Sallow (Enargia infumata)

Neoligia subjuncta

Double Lobed (Apamea ophiogramma)

Just 40 macro moths of 21 species.  Nothing new for the year but there are two moths that I haven't identified.  They were both fairly worn so identification may be tricky.  The picture below is another Orange-barred Carpet Moth (Dysstroma hersiliata) but with a slightly different colouring.

Orange-barred Carpet Moth (Dysstroma hersiliata)

Just 34 moths of 16 species in the trap last night, although, there is one noctuid that I haven't identified yet.  However, thanks to Greg Pohl and Jason Dombroskie I have id's for 2 micro moths that I had in the trap on the 20th and 23rd July.  These are Ypsolopha senexbug and Red-edged Acleris Moth  (Acleris albicomana) respectively.  There didn't appear to be any photographs of the Ypsolopha senex on BugGuide or MPG so I've added a guide page and photograph to BugGuide for this moth.  I've included a picture of Comma Wainscot (Leucania commoides) as I don't think I've put this moth on my blog so far.

Ypsolopha senex

Red-edged Acleris Moth (Acleris albicomana)

Comma Wainscot (Leucania commoides)

This is a late posting for the 24th. I'll post for the today shortly. Cooler overnight temperatures and rain have reduced the number of moths in my light trap for the last two days. On the 24th there were 40 macro moths of 20 species with the one new species for the year being Smith's Dart (Xestia smithii). I've included another picture of Bordered Apamea Moth (Rusty-shoulder Knot?) Apamea sordens, as there is some variation with this species.

Smith's Dart (Xestia smithii)

Apamea sordens

We had some rain last night but there were still at least 162 macro moths of 38 species in my Light and bait traps.  There were no new backyard species but there were 7 new species for the year as follows:

Northwestern Phoenix Moth (Eulithis xylina)
July Highflyer Moth (Hydriomena furcata)
Common Idia (Idia aemula)
Dark-spotted Looper (Diachrysia aereoides)
Smoked Sallow (Enargia infumata)
Dingy Cutworm (Feltia jaculifera)
Great Gray Dart (Great Brochade) (Eurois occulta)

I also had another Thinker Moth (Lacinipolia meditata) which was in a better condition than the last one so I've included a photograph of this species as well.

Northwestern Phoenix Moth (Eulithis xylina)

July Highflyer Moth (Hydriomena furcata)

Common Idia (Idia aemula)

Dingy Cutworm (Feltia jaculifera)

Dark-spotted Looper (Diachrysia aereoides)

Smoked Sallow (Enargia infumata)

Thinker Moth (Lacinipolia meditata)

I was forced to retrieve my bait and light traps in a hurry late on the on the 20th due to a severe storm which threatened to blow my traps into next week!  So no blog for the 21st.  Good weather last night resulted in 49 macro moths of 20 species.  The 1 new species for the year was a fairly worn Thinker Moth (Lacinipolia meditata).  However, there was a rather splendid looking Green Arches (Anaplectoides prasina) as below.

Green Arches (Anaplectoides prasina)

There were at least 177 moths of 40 species in my bait and light traps this morning.   60 of them were Thoughtful Apameas (Apamea cogitata). There were 10 new species for the year. One was a new backyard species which I have tentatively id'd as Euxoa flavicollis.  The other 9 new species were:

Split-lined Angle Moth (Speranza bitactata)
Pale beauty (Campaea perlata)
Wavy-lined Emerald (Synchlora aerata)
Delphinium Leaftier (Polychrysia esmeralda)
Two-spotted Looper (Autographa bimaculata)
Apamea scoparia
Lined Quaker (Apamea inficita)
Double Lobed Moth (Apamea ophiogramma)
Eurois astricta

Two-spotted Looper (Autographa bimaculata)

Double Lobed Moth (Apamea ophiogramma)

 

Split-lined Angle Moth (Speranza bitactata)

Delphinium Leaftier (Polychrysia esmeralda)

Catocaline Dart (Cryptocala acadiensis)

Wavy-lined Emerald (Synchlora aerata)

Pale beauty (Campaea perlata)

Apamea scoparia

Eurois astricta

Another very warm night revealed 117 macro moths of 29 species in the light and bait traps.  There were 6 new species for the year, one of them, Brown Pine Looper Moth (Caripeta angustiorata) was a new species for the backyard.  The other 5 species were:

Tufted Thyatirid (Pseudothyatira cymatophoroides)
Dark Marbled Carpet (Dysstroma citrata)
Purple Arches (Polia purpurissata)
Anicla tepperi (Anicla tepperi)
Green Arches (Anaplectoides prasina)

There were also several interesting micro moth species, of which, one I have identified as Crowned Phlyctaenia Moth (Anania coronata).

Brown Pine Looper Moth (Caripeta angustiorata)

Dark Marbled Carpet (Dysstroma citrata)

Purple Arches (Polia purpurissata)

Anicla tepperi (Anicla tepperi)

Crowned Phlyctaenia Moth (Anania coronata)