The July rush (blog entry for the 16th July)

Well, I’m home again after a nice (excluding the mosquitoes.  What do they feed on when there isn't a backyard mother around!) 9 day vacation in the Okanagan and Vancouver.  I did photograph a few BC moths but have returned to a peak mothing time of the year.  It’s a difficult period to keep up with the moths at the best of times but I normally get eased into it.  I will be doing a separate blog entry for the BC moths after I get up to date with the backyard moths.

I have had the trap out for a few days and I am now playing catch up with all of the new species for the year.  On the 16th there were 32 macro moths of 13 species with 9 new species for the year.  I understand that the only way to confidently tell a Crocus Geometer from a False Crocus Geometer Moth (Xanthotype urticaria) is by dissection so my Crocus Geometer ID is just a guess. It’s always nice to get a Tiger moth. The new species were:

Crocus Geometer (Xanthotype sospeta)
Delphinium Leaftier (Polychrysia esmeralda)
White-lined Quaker (Apamea niveivenosa)
Smoked Sallow (Enargia infumata)
Garden Cutworm Moth (Fishia discors)
Mountain Hooded Owlet Moth (Cucullia montanae)
Olive Arches (Lacinipolia olivacea)
Many-lined Wainscot (Leucania multilinea)
Virgin Tiger (Grammia virgo)