Butterflies, Moths, Dragonflies & Damselflies of Dayton, Ohio

This is a mated pair of Coppery Orbexilum moths, photographed July 2, 2016, at the Milford Center Prairie near Columbus. 

Coppery Orbexilum moths are found at only a few sites, all of which are undisturbed prairie remnants featuring its sole host plant: scurf pea (Orbexilum onobrychis). 

Would you believe that this tiny little bug is one of my favorite moths? Perhaps that is because Dayton can claim credit for this species. Coppery Orbexilum moths were first discovered at a Dayton area prairie in 1880. There were no known sightings for nearly a century afterward, but it has been rediscovered at a few prairie remnants in Ohio, Illinois, and Kentucky. 

In my opinion, these moths should probably be classified as an endangered species. Almost all of Ohio's native prairies were destroyed, and only a few tiny scraps remain undisturbed.

I found the individuals at left and above at a prairie remnant in Greene County. I see these moths at that location from late June through early August.