Category Archives: Lepidoptera

Friday Flower – Pawpaw

As my friend Rich and I stood in the verdent understory admiring the spectacular panicles of red buckeye punctuating the green lushness, a small brown flower on a leafless branch above me caught my eye.  “Pawpaw!” I exclaimed, perhaps partly in … Continue reading

Posted in Annonaceae, Cerambycidae, Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, Papilionidae | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 28 Comments

Monday Moth – Trichaeta pterophorina

Another photo from the South Africa files, and one that continues the mimicry theme that has been featured in several recent posts. It’s not a great photograph – the focus is off – but the colors these moths sport are … Continue reading

Posted in Arctiidae, Lepidoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Monday Moth: Arniocera erythropyga

Last week’s king cricket quiz (Tuesday Teaser) reminded me that I still have quite a few photographs from my trip to South Africa, now 10 years ago, that I still haven’t shared. This pretty little moth is Arniocera erythropyga, which I photographed … Continue reading

Posted in Lepidoptera, Zygaenidae | Tagged , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Euhagena nebraskae in Kansas

One of my favorite destinations for insect collecting is the Gypsum Hills region in Barber County of south-central Kansas.  I first went there in May 1986 after seeing a diverse selection of more typically Texan Buprestidae that J. Richard Heitzman, an … Continue reading

Posted in Lepidoptera, Sesiidae | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

Circus of the Spineless #47

When I started participating in blog carnivals last year, Circus of the Spineless was – for me – the pinnacle of blog carnivals.  I wanted to take my shot at hosting this venerable celebration of creepy crawlies, and even though the … Continue reading

Posted in Amphipoda, Arachnida, Araneae, Calliphoridae, Collembola, Crustacea, Danaidae, Decopoda, Formicidae, Hesperiidae, Lepidoptera, Libellulidae, Odonata, Opiliones, Passalidae, Vespidae | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 24 Comments

Monday Moth: White-tipped Black Moth

When is a ctenuchid moth not a ctenuchid moth?  When it’s a White-tipped Black Moth (Melanchroia chephise) in the family Geometridae! I may be a beetle guy, but I also consider myself a competent general entomologist.  What is a competent general … Continue reading

Posted in Geometridae, Lepidoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 24 Comments

Pyromorpha dimidiata

Despite being a coleopterist, I was somewhat surprised when I realized that I have not yet posted a Lepidoptera photo on this site – especially considering their abundance, diversity (2nd largest order of insects), and overall photogenicity.  Time to change that.  I … Continue reading

Posted in Zygaenidae | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments