ID help - photos

[gwang]

Hi,

These are the Red-Shouldered Ctenuchas (Ctenucha rubroscapus), a type of
arctiid moth.  And yes they are native to Oregon.  Here's their
distribution map.
http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/distr/lepid/moths/or/1932.htm
The sight unfortunately doesn't have a picture.

Peace,
Xi Wang

Brian M. Godfrey wrote:
> 
> Hi,
>    About a week ago I saw a couple of butterflies/moths in front of my
> house.  They appeared to be an iridescent royal blue with red heads and the
> red extending back over their "shoulders."  The wings were narrower than
> most butterflies and they beat them rather fast.  It appeared that they were
> coming together, possibly to mate.  I went in the house to get my camera and
> when I came out they were gone.  A few days ago I was poking around in the
> weeds just below where I saw them and I found one body, though the head was
> bent under or missing.  It had lost its iridescence, or possibly just didn't
> look iridescent as it was an overcast day, and the wings looked black but
> the body still looked blue.  Later that day I found another one down by the
> beach (I live a block from the ocean on the northern Oregon coast.)  This
> one had been stepped on but the head and front portions were still intact.
> So between the two I had a complete specimen.  I photographed them on a
> piece of white paper, top and side views, and put the photos here:
> http://www.wildbirdshop.com/temp/bfly-morgue-front-P.jpg
> http://www.wildbirdshop.com/temp/bfly-morgue-top-P.jpg
>    These were very beautiful butterflies or moths.  I've never seen any like
> them.  I'd sure like to know what they are and if they are native to the
> Oregon coast.  If anyone can ID them I'd sure appreciate it.
>    Thanks,
> 
> --
> --Brian M. Godfrey
>    brian at wildbirdshop.com

 
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