canadian AND FEATHER-EDGED petrophila, beet webworms, AND RUFOUS-BANDED CRAMBID
Spotted Beet Webworm moth. Notice that the white median band is jagged. The Hawaiian Beet Webworm (above) has a smoother edge on the median band.
Hawaiian Beet Webworm moth. Despite the exotic-sounding name, these moths are fairly common in our area.
Canadian Petrophila. I found this individual at the Caesar Creek visitor center on June 4, 2016. I have also found this species at my home moth lights and along the Great Miami River, from late May through August.
Another Spotted Beet Webworm moth, resting on a pane of glass. I found this moth on November 6, 2017 (my latest date for this species).
Rufous-banded Crambid. The Peterson moth guide lists this species as rare for our part of the country. These moths are more common in the southwestern states.
Feather-edged Petrophila. This species differs from the Canadian Petrophila in that it has three small dots forming a triangle on each wing.
Another Hawaiian Beet Webworm moth. Both this species and the Spotted Beet Webworm (below) fly in autumn. I find both species from September through early November.
Another Canadian Petrophila. Petrophila moths are fascinating insects. Their larvae are aquatic and feed on diatoms and algae from rocks in streams. The adult moths mimic jumping spiders in both behavior and appearance. (The purple-centered spots along the bottom edge of their wings are thought to resemble spider eyes.)
I have seen Feather-edged Petrophilas at my home moth lights, as well as Germantown MetroPark and along the Great Miami River, from June through September. I see these moths in large numbers. They seem to prefer the same habitat as clubtail dragonflies, and I often see them while hunting for clubtails.
The Rufous-banded Crambid at left was photographed on June 17, 2017, at Sugarcreek Reserve. I also found one at Cox Arboretum on August 17, 2022, and one at my moth lights on September 7, 2023 (above).