To see some of the moths Debbie photographed during the events at a local home on July 25, 2016 – click here.   Debbie shared with us a list of the moths that were identified in the various events.

These are a few unidentified moths – any help to ID is greatly appreciated

On 7-23-16 these moths were photographed at gardens near a busy expressway:

grateful midget moth     celery leaftier moth     chickweed geometer moth

the white-speck moth    Lucerne moth                snowy urola moth

the wedgling moth         Clemens grass tubeworm moth

On 7-25-16 we blacklighted for about an hour at home. Here is a list of identified moths:

catalpa sphinx moth       reticulated fruitworm moth      splendid palpita moth

double-banded grass-veneer moth                                     the wedgling moth

orange-headed epicallima moth                                          basswood leafroller moth

small bird-dropping moth                                                    dead-wood borer moth

white-lined snout moth                                                        drab prominent moth

On 7-27-16 we blacklighted at a large botanical garden:

clemens’ grass tubeworm moth    catalpa sphinx moth

drab prominent moth                     abbott’s sphinx moth

red-banded leafroller moth           common idia moth

grapeleaf skeletonizer moth          the Hebrew moth

American idia moth                        yellow-striped armyworm moth

the Lucerne moth                            waterlily leafcutter moth

grateful midget moth                     small mossy glyph moth

elegant grass-veneer moth           sober renia moth

large lace-border moth                 black-bordered lemon moth

snowy urola moth                          faint-spotted palthis

obtuse yellow moth                        a sparganothid moth

On 7-30-16 we blacklighted at Howell Wetlands:

Ailanthes webworm moth   Isabella tiger moth      Yellow-striped armyworm

Faint-spotted palthis            Delicate cycnia             Lost owlet mot

Black-banded owlet              Bluegrass webworm

Grateful midget                     Waved sphinx moth    Large mossy glyph

Maple looper                         Harnessed tiger moth

Clemens’ grass tubeworm moth                                 Elegant grass-veneer

Yellow-collared armyworm                                        

Either sycamore tussock or banded tussock

Green cloverworm                                                         Celery leaftier

Oblique-banded leafroller                                           Waterlily leafcutter moth

Grateful midget                    Black-bordered lemon

Dimorphic macalla              Large paectus                 Sharp stigma looper

Cherry casebearer

The evening began with an interesting presentation on moths by Seabrooke, followed by a book signing and then Seabrooke co-hosted a moth night event with the Friends in the wildflower meadow behind the Cultural Arts Center. There were a variety of moth light setups to attract moths including Mercury Vapor and Ultraviolet blacklights. Despite the unseasonably cold temperatures, quite a few interesting moths flew into the light setups for everyone to see. Seabrooke identified each moth that was attracted to the lights and their were ample opportunities to photograph the moths as well. People came from near and far for the event, including from Sussex and Bergen Counties. It was a special night and highly enjoyable.

Seabrooke is a co-sponsor of National Moth Week (www.nationalmothweek.org). National Moth Week was started by the Friends as an off-shoot of our highly successful and award-winning local moth night events that we’ve been running for the past 6 years. National Moth Week now has more than 150 locations and events in 31 states and six countries. The National Moth Week website is filled with information about moth week events and moths. Consider participating in National Moth Week this summer (July 23-29) and discover the incredible world of moths.

Here are some tips on lights for mothing that I copied from a recent disucussion on the Moth Watching Facebook page:

Hugh McGuinness – The first big decision you are going to have to make is whether or not you will use MV lamps. If so, the more wattage the better. Second, you need UV lights no matter what. A fifteen watt lamp works really well, but more watts is probably always better. Third, I find that having a variety of lights is effective. For example I have two flourescent fixtures that accommodate two bulbs. I put a UV bulb in one and a normal or full spectrum bulb in the other. I find that combo very successful. Also if you are not using MV then make sure you have an incandescent light on as well–I put my UV right next to the incandescent bulb.

Merrill Lynch – I agree with Hugh that a combination of lights works best. I use a UV fluorescent next to a cfl all spectrum on my porch with a MV/sheet combination nearby in the yard. I notice some moths are more attracted to the cfl than the UV light and others seem to gravitate to the MV. So, a combination of all three is best, I think. Also, I have several light traps that I’ve made that use the standard Bioquip UV rig (15 W) with ballast along with plexiglass vanes and aluminum funnel mounted over a 5gal plastic bucket. This is powered by a deep cycle 12V battery rated at 16 amps that is relatively lightweight and powerful enough to run the light all night. This setup is easy to take down and light enough to move around easily and is great for remote sampling.

I use single fixture 18″ UV bulbs like Bioquip sells. My CFL and UVA lights are about 10 ft apart. What I like about the Bioquip 160W MV bulb is its self-ballasted. Most of the bulbs online and in home improvement stores require expensive ballasts.

For more information log on  to the Resource and Finding moths pages.

If you have techniques and tips to share with other moth’ers or know of good websites that not yet linked on nationalmothweek.org – please write to us.

Step 1. Locate a suitable patch of forest, field, or desert.

Step 2. Wait for a warm, moonless summer night.

Step 3. Using a long extension cord, plug in a blacklight. Or even better, a mercury-vapor lamp.

Step 4. Sit back and watch your prey arrive.*

Read more

From Scientific American Blogs, 6 December, 2011

I know of only two people in Alaska who collect moths: Jim Kruse, and me.

UV light traps work much better in August than July (and you can forget about June!). Of course, Alaska does have moths. I have attached a photo showing what turned up (day-flying) on Round Island, Bristol Bay over the last three summers.

The series of ten specimens is Arctia opulenta. The single specimen at the bottom is Platarctia parthenos. Both are Arctiids. A. opulenta is so common on Round Island that my collectors were sending me wings they picked up off the ground–presumably the results of predation by birds.

Here is a photo I made recently showing 12 species of Arctiids from Alaska. And that’s not all of them…

The $12.95 Wally World black light is a recent addition. I haven’t used it much and almost never without the floods also being on. (I don’t want to stumble over something and fall off the porch. It’s ten feet to the ground.) As far as I can tell, the UV light makes no difference.

I attribute the success of my super-minimal setup to the fact we live out in the boonies, surrounded by mixed hardwood and pine woods. There’s also quite a bit of unimproved pasture in our general area. The closest competing light source is about a mile away.

If I ever get around to it, I plan to add a sheet or some kind of cloth under the flood lights. That won’t help attract moths, but should improve the background of my photos. Until then, I’ll claim to own one of the most frequently photographed siding panels in the world. (Marvin Smith)