moths

[Steve Walter]

Before the two new books came out last year, the "web" became a better
alternative for help with dragonfly identifications. Probably still is,
because many of the photo sites contain large, clear images that allow you
to see details much more easily. Can moths get to that point on the
internet? My web site "The Mulberry Wing" (www.hmana.org/mulberry) contains
a special feature: the Moths of Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge - now with 100
species pictured in their natural positions. I also have a link to great
British site. Of course, most of the species are different. But the
families, subfamilies, and often genera are the same and can give you a feel
for how their species look in their natural positions. Beyond that, it's
been a struggle to find really useful web sites and I continue to struggle
with my identifications. Repeatedly, I come across moths that seem so
distinctive in the field, yet so difficult to match up against the plates in
Covell and the rest. And while hind wings are often useful or necessary in
making identifications, I'd like to add that the coming together of the
forewings often creates a distinctive pattern that, unfortunately, is lost
with the folded out specimens shown in books.

Steve Walter