Saturday, May 27, 2017

A Few Moths Who Live at Our Place

Watching the wildlife return to our 3.5 acres as we plant natives, leave downed leaves in plant beds and stop mowing different areas is seriously mind-boggling. This process is so fundamentally simple and so rich in its rewards. Here's a few adult moths we admired and observed here this past week.

Lunate Zale on bird house:
(larval host plants: trees and woody plants, including apple, cherry, oak, plum and willow; all these grow here)


Many-Lined Carpet (& Harvestman) on firewood:
(larval host plant: willow herb; stopping mowing brought willow herb back on its own)


Pearly Wood-Nymph on Cup Plant:
(larval host plants: evening primrose, grape, hibiscus, Virginia creeper; all these except hibiscus grow here)


Mottled Grass-Veneer on Wild Bergamot:
(larval host plants: grasses; definitely have these growing here)


Lettered Fan-Foot on front window just this morning:
(larval host plants: dead leaves of deciduous trees; in all our plant beds and returning woodlands)


It is so exciting to get up each morning, grab a cup of coffee and head out the door to see who else calls this land home!