moths

JH jhimmel at connix.com
Thu Jun 14 22:19:44 EDT 2001


Bill, and anyone else who may be interested - 

I know of no field guide that shows moths in their natural position.  However, I think with many of the species, especially when you get into the similar looking bugs, you absolutely have to see the hindwings for an ID.  Unfortunately, those species don't seem to oblige us by resting in such a position.  

That said, I think the best way to figure out what you're looking at, without going to study collections (which really is the best way), is to start with Covell's Peterson guide to Eastern Moths.  For those of you who don't have it, it's out of print - but an internet search can usually turn one up.  Then, you should have a copy of "Papillons du Quebec" by Louis Hanfield.  This has about 1450 species of most of the moths that we get.  All are in color and the plates are crisp and often show several variations of the same species.  Many of the moths missing in Covell's book are found here.  The only problem for some, is it is in French.  But as you know, scientific names remain constant.  I recommend this book highly!  A B&N or Amazon.com search should turn it up.

I also use a lot of "specialty publications".  I have the Cutworm Moths of Ontario & Quebec and Owlet Moths of Ohio for that family.  I'm not too happy with the plates in the former, but it has solved a few mysteries for me in the past.  The latter concentrates on the noctuidae not covered in Covell and the plates are great!  Call the Ohio Biological Survey (614-292-9645) to order. I also have the Maple Feeding Tortricidae of the Northeastern US with very good photos of a number of the adult moths.  This is put out by the Agricultural Exp. Station of Vermont in Burlington (call information).  They are thrilled when people call and ask for a copy.  For the underwings, there is a treasure of a book called "Legion of the Night, The Underwing Moths" by Theodore Sargent (Univ. of Mass Press).  Great plates on all the catocala - moths worth hunting for - with tons of info and some nice essays on moth watching.  Bad news - it's out of print.  Do a search.

When I'm still stuck after these references, there is Butterflies and Moths of Missouri - nice pictures and life histories of a just a sampling of moths.  Probably nothing in here you won't find elsewhere, but the pictures may be better.  "Lepidoptera of Florida" (put out by the FLA Dept. of Agr.) has come in handy on more than one occassion, as has the Little Golden Guide to Butterflies and Moths.  As a very last resort, I go the The Moth Book - that 100 year old Dover reprint.  This has about 1600 NA species.  However, many of the names are different from today and I find the plates difficult to work with.  Many are out of focus.  Interestingly, the plates in the original hardbound The Moth Book are phenomianal!  

Finally, for the real serious moth'ers, there's the MONA (Moths of North America) fasicles (sp?).  They go family by family and are pretty expensive.

If you just plan to sample the moths in your area, at an enjoyable pace (I realize this is relative!), then you just have to accept the fact you will not get all of them.  Especially with the little micros.  In my yard, I have listed about 530 species, but there are several hundred more that will always remain mysteries.  I still enjoy seeing them, I just don't know what other people call them.

Happy mothing - 

John, one cup of coffee too many tonight, Himmelman      
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John Himmelman
Killingworth, CT USA
jhimmel at connix.com
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-----Original Message-----
From: bill and Dale <droberts03 at snet.net>
To: butterfly ct <ctleps-l at lists.yale.edu>
Date: Thursday, June 14, 2001 9:14 PM
Subject: moths


>North Guilford------------------Of the zillions of moths at my porch
>light I finally captured the four gaudiest I could find, brought them in
>the house, stuck them in the fridge until they chilled out so I could
>spread their wings so I could use my Covell guide to ID them. They were:
>
>Giant Leopard Moth- Epcantheria scribonia- awesome pop-art pattern.
>False Crocus Geometer- Xanthotype urticaria- nice straw yellow and pale
>lavender pattern
>Banded Tiger moth-Apantesis vittata- the easiest ID once you see the
>hindwings.
>Beautiful Wood nymph-Eudryas grata- one of the bird turd moths. But a
>beautiful turd.
>         Maybe I'll try four more tonight. I'm handicapped in my
>identification skills by unfamiliararity with the hindwings. They look
>so radically different perched on my porch than they do spread in a
>field guide with hindwings exposed.  I would be so pleased (take note
>all potential moth field guide authors) if I had a reference that showed
>photos of moths the way they look in life. The Audubon guide to insects
>and spiders does this with about 15 moths and it works great. I could
>really get into this if there was such a guide. Anybody know of that
>type of field guide to moths??
>                                               Bill Y
>
>
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