We celebrated Moth Week with our annual “Friday Night Under the Lights” event on July 26th. This year, we were back at Hall’s Lake Natural Area. We set up several white sheets and lights (with the help of our generator) down the outback trail as the sun was setting. Shortly after darkness arrived in the forest, the moth activity began. CWC staff and participants began snapping photos of moths and used the iNaturalist app to aid in identifying the species. A nice variety of moths and other winged insects were identified. The “big guys” often steal the show, and this year we were lucky to be visited by a Summer Fishfly and a Two-spotted Sphinx. A total of 32 species were identified. This event is not only a fun community outreach opportunity, but also helps us gather data on the insect biodiversity at our nature preserves. We look forward to next year’s event as we travel to another CWC preserve to see what the lights bring in!
Brightest coloration award goes to this lovely Leafhopper!
Best armor award to the Forked Fungus Beetle!
Most impressive antennae award to the Twin-spotted Sphinx!
Most creative use of color award goes to the Painted Lichen Moth!
Most impressive wing span award goes to the Summer Fishfly!
Most fuzzy award goes to the Common Gluphisia Moth!
Coolest pattern award goes to the Pondside Crambid Moth!
The complete species list for the evening:
Bicolored Pyrausta Moth, Pyrausta bicoloralis
Leafhopper, Gyponana sp.
Click Beetle, Family Elateridae
Yellowish Fan-Foot, Zanclognatha marcidilinea
Leafhopper, Tribe Saphoideini
Tortricine Leafroller Moth, Subfamily Tortricinae
Striped Chocolate-tip Moth, Clostera strigosa
Forked Fungus Beetle, Bolitotherus cornutus
Twin-spotted Sphinx, Smerinthus jamaicensis
Summer Fishfly, Chauliodes pectinicornis
Bicolored Pyrausta Moth, Pyrausta biocoloralis
Common Stonefly, Perlesta sp.
Pale Metanema Moth, Metanea inatomaria
Common Gluphisia Moth, Gluphisia septentrionis
Doubleday’s Baileya Moth, Baileya doubledayi
Pondside Crambid Moth, Elophila icciusalis
Variable Fan-Foot, Zanclognatha laevigata
Tiger Moth, Phragmatobia sp.
Spotted Grass Moth, Rivula propinqualis
Twirler Moth, Dichomeris sp.
Curved-horn Moth, Superfamily Gelechioidea
Common Aerial Yellowjacket, Dolichovespula arenaria
Sociable Renia Moth, Renia factiosalis
Mayfly, Maccaffertium modestum
Large Mossy Glyph, Protodeltote muscosula
Common Idia Moth, Idia aemula
Pondside Crambid Moth, Elophila icciusalis
Large Lace-border Moth, Scopula limboundata
Bent-lined Carpet Moth, Costaconvexa centrostrigaria
Julia’s Idia Moth, Idia Julia
Waterlily Borer Moth, Elophia gyralis
Painted Lichen Moth, Hypoprepia focosa
