FLOWER MOTHS & BIRCH DAGGER
Tobacco Budworm moth, a day-flying species commonly seen nectaring at flowers. This individual was photogaphed at Cox Arboretum.
Tobacco Budworm moths usually fly in late summer and fall. I have found them from July through October.
Tobacco Budworm moths have red legs - a feature which distinguishes them from the similar Three-lined Flower Moth (below).
This is a Three-lined Flower Moth, showing its white legs. Found at my UV lights on August 18, 2020.
I found this Three-lined Flower Moth at Pearl's Fen on August 16, 2020. It was more worn and faded than the individuals above. This moth was on Joe-Pye Weed, one of its host plants.
This Thoreau's Flower Moth showed up at my UV lights on August 22, 2020. I am a fan of Thoreau's writings, so I was delighted to find his namesake moth.
This is a River Birch Dagger moth. This species looks quite different from the other dagger moths in its genus, most of which are gray rather than tan. Notice the sharp points in the PM line.
Another Three-lined Flower Moth at my lights. Both the Three-lined Flower Moth and Thoreau's Flower Moth (below) are types of Schinia moths.
Three-lined Flower Moth at Crain's Run Park, August 22, 2021.
This Tobacco Budworm moth came to my moth lights.
Three-lined Flower Moth. All of my sightings of this species have been in August and early September.
Another Three-lined Flower Moth. The lines are more angled than in the similar Tobacco Budworm moth.
Another Thoreau's Flower Moth that showed up at my lights exactly three years later, on August 22, 2023. I have found a couple of individuals at my lights in August. This species feeds on Giant Ragweed.
River Birch Dagger moth. I find these moths at my lights from May through August.
