Sunday, June 7, 2009

Mystery Solved

Remember this pic of an unidentified critter from the other day?

From ToadMama's Web Abode


Well, I hate not knowing what critters are called. Like, not knowing if it was a moth or a butterfly was killing me (not really). I looked through a bunch of pics last night -- a whole bunch, like hundreds -- to no avail.

Finally, I asked someone at the Butterflies and Moths of North America Web site. This helpful fellow responded to my e-mail query and told me it is a Spiny Oakworm Moth (Anisota stigma).

From ToadMama's Web Abode


He told me that at this stage (photo immediately above), it must have just emerged from the cocoon and hadn't yet dried its wings. That would explain why the wings were moving constantly.

So, now we know. I hope you feel just as enlightened as me.

3 comments:

  1. I was leaning towards an Orange-tipped Oakworm moth (Anisota senatoria) myself. It's so hard to distinguish them sometimes!

    :-)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'm just impressed that it appears you got a very quick answer to a question asked via email!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I know. The Web site said contact may take awhile, but I had a reply the next morning.

    ReplyDelete

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