Hobbies And Interests
Gypsy Moth
The Gypsy Moth was first identified in North America in 1991 near the Port of Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada. This dinural moth has a quick erratic flight and large feathered antenna. Adult males have grayish-brown wings and a wingspan of 1 1/2 inches. Adult female moths are white and larger, with wingspans up to 3 1/2 inches or more. Found today in Oregon, Washington and British Columbia, the Gypsy Moth has a potentially devastating impact on the vegetation of the area due to the large number of larvae females can hatch.
Pyralid Snout Moth
From the family Pyralidae, there are worldwide, five subfamilies and at least 6,150 species of pyralid moths. North America has about 565 species in five subfamilies. Known as agricultural pests, the Pyralid Snout moth feeds on stems, seeds, buds, and flowers. Similar species from the same family feed on processed food products and are commonly found in pantries or grocery stores.
Corn Earworm Moth
Found throughout North America except for northern Canada and Alaska, the Corn Earworm moth has a wide, heavyset wingspan of 1 1/4 inches to 1 3/4 inches with bands of shimmery white throughout the light tan coloring. This species is active throughout the year in tropical and subtropical climates, but does not fare well in the winter months of northern climates. The Corn Earworm moth is principally dinural and has a life span of up to 30 days. It is also known as the cotton bollworm or tomato fruitworm, depending on which plant it is feeding on as a caterpillar.
Arctiidae Moths
The Arctiidae is a large and diverse family of moths with around 11,000 species found all over the world, including 6,000 neotropical species.The Arctiidae include Hapola moths, Footmen, Lichen moths and more famously Tiger moths. Arctiidae have defined, often colorful tie-dye like banding. The most distinctive feature of the family is a tymbal organ on the metathorax. This organ has membranes that are vibrated to produce ultrasonic sounds. The sounds are used both for mating and defense against potential predators.