The Mulberry Wing

10 Most Wanted IDs

Moths that confound, confuse, or just don't fit in.  Please send any thoughts or comments to Steve Walter SWalter@nyc.rr.com 
1

Muttontown Preserve, Nassau co., NY, June 11, 2002. This one is a holdover from last time -- still unidentified. That makes it number 1 with a bullet. It's in the Amphipyrinae group, maybe close to the Common Pinkband, for which I don't see mention of such colors.

2

Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, Queens co. NY, June 20, 2002. Another holdover. The first candidate to be found in Covell is Black-barred Brown (Plagiomimicus pityochromus), but it doesn't seem quite right. Although Covell and Forbes put it range in New York, it is considered rare in the Northeast.

3

Floyd Bennet Field, Kings co., NY, September 5, 1999. This is one of the first moths I photographed around Jamaica Bay. Little did it know what it helped start. This is a Pyralid I've seen a few times in the area, all kicked up in open areas in the daytime. 

ID: (Loxostege cereralis)

4

Floyd Bennet Field, Kings co., NY, April 16, 2002. This one comes in high on the new list because as a mid-April find, the universe of Noctuids to choose from should be more manageable. Yet I managed to not come up with a match. 

ID: (Ulolonche modesta)

5

Hubbard Pines, Litchfield co., CT, July 6, 2002. Most of the moths here so far have been from my survey sites, because of the priority of documenting the species at these sites. However, there are others that gnaw at me, especially when they have what should be distinctive markings -- such as those white highlights on this one.

ID: Black Arches (Melanchra assimilis)

6

Queens co., NY, May 15, 2001. This moth is unusual in that I've seen it in my backyard (just once) and nowhere else. Another species -- Coddling Moth, I think -- is abundant in my yard and I've yet to see it elsewhere. I think I had this narrowed down to one of the dagger moths, but that's a group in which being sure isn't a sure thing.

ID: Retarded Dagger Moth (Acronicta retardata)

7

Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, Queens co., August 16, 2001. The summer of 2001 was incredible for attracting moths to bait here, especially for the numbers of Armyworm Moth (upper left). The more interesting one shown here is a tad smaller and probably in the same Hadeninae subfamily. 

ID: Speckled Cutworm Moth (Lacanobia subjuncta)

8

Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, Queens co., NY, July 9, 2001. I love these natural shots of moths nectaring on tree sap at night. Well, alright, that's bait I put out, and the picture is edited too (but just flipping it, as the moth was pointed downward).

ID: Black-banded Brocade (Oligia modica)

9

Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, Queens co., June 19, 2001. By now you've noticed the preponderance of Noctuids on this page. It's not that I'm neglecting other groups or that I'm more skilled at identifying them. I've just done a better job of cataloging my unknown Noctuids.

ID: Connected Dagger Moth (Acronicta connecta) dark form

10

Muttontown Preserve, Nassau co., NY, September 14, 2002. September is a good time for Noctuinae species, or darts. This one is shaped right for a dart. When I went over this group during the winter, there were flashier looking ones to start with. This one got left behind -- until now.

ID: Reaper Dart (Euxoria messoria)

10 Most Wanted IDs

Moths that confound, confuse, or just don't fit in.  Please send
  any thoughts or comments to Steve Walter SWalter@nyc.rr.com

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