Who let the moths out? This week, we feature a stunning array of lepidopterans, from the cryptic to the conspicuous to the downright adorable. (Have you seen skippers??) We’ve added some fetching predators for good measure and a beetle that partakes in a nuptial ritual with a blistering outcome. Read on to learn more!
Header Photo: Western Lynx Spider (Oxyopes scalaris) Kelly Dix, June 26th, 2024. Lolo, MT.
Peck’s Skipper
Polites peckius
Skippers are so named for their snappy, darting flight, quickly juking out of frame for anyone trying to snap a picture. Your best chance is to catch one while feeding, like the Peck’s Skipper shown here. Peck’s Skippers are members of the grass skipper subfamily Hesperiinae; their larvae feed on grasses and even make grass shelters, rolling themselves inside the leaf to protect themselves while resting. Peck’s Skipper may produce several generations per year, with adults on the wing from May to October.
Klara Briknarova, June 23rd, 2024. Missoula MT.
Bordered Orbweaver & Four-spotted Skimmer
Larinioides patagiatus & Libellula quadrimaculata
At first glance, this dragonfly looks sickly, with disheveled wings and an odd growth on its abdomen. On closer inspection, we realized this unfortunate creature was dinner for a bordered orbweaver female. It must have been supremely unlucky, as dragonflies are well-known for their adept aerial maneuvering. On the other hand, this orbweaver is having a great day, having caught a meal that will likely sustain her for weeks.
Klara Briknarova, June 8th, 2024. Harriman State Park, Island Park, ID.
Wild Cherry Sphinx
Sphinx drupiferarum
Wild Cherry Sphinx Moths are an uncommon-to-rare moth on the wing from mid-May to early August. They can be distinguished from other sphinx moths in our area by the contrasting whitish gray and dark brown forewing. The larvae, as you may have guessed, mostly feed on leaves of cherries (Prunus spp.), as well as apples, peaches, and plums. Adults sip nectar from deep-throated flowers. This species is widely distributed across North America and found from coast to coast, except in the deep south and the extreme Southwest.
Brenna Shea, June 26th, 2024. Missoula MT.
Masked Hunter
Reduvius personatus
Dave found this assassin bug nymph in a dusty corner of his garage, leading to the assumption that this nymph inadvertently walked into a dust bunny and came out looking like one. This disguise, however, is entirely purposeful. Masked Hunters are a type of assassin bug, using a pointed “beak” to impale and consume their prey. While the adults are black in color, the bodies of the nymphs are covered with sticky hairs, which the nymphs use to mask themselves with a coating of dust, lint or whatever debris is in their surroundings. Adults and nymphs can both deliver a painful defensive bite.
Dave Larson, June 23rd, 2024. Missoula, MT.
Large Yellow Underwing
Noctua pronuba
Large Yellow Underwings are named for their bright orangish-yellow hindwings decked with a narrow, black outer band and orangish-yellow fringe. The hindwings are covered at rest (like the individual shown here), but revealed if the moth is disturbed or in flight. These moths are native to Eurasia but were accidentally introduced to Nova Scotia in the late 1970s. As strong fliers, they dispersed and have since spread north to the Arctic Ocean, west to the Pacific, and south to the Gulf of Mexico. They are now one of the most common moth species in many habitats.
Lisa Cloo, June 23rd, 2024. Turah, MT.
Carpenterworm Moth
Prionoxystus robiniae
These rather large moths can be found all across southern Canada and the United States. They tend to be more common in the east since their larvae bore into the wood of deciduous trees (locust, oak, chestnut, poplar, willow, maple, and ash). Unlike many moth species that get it all done in one season, Carpenterworm Moths take their sweet time, needing 3 to 4 years to go from egg to adult. BugGuide has some great photos of their lifecycle stages here (scroll down to the “Life Cycle” section).
Kamal Fox, June 20th, 2024. Missoula, MT.
Silver-spotted Skipper
Epargyreus clarus
The Silver-spotted Skipper is considered the most conspicuous and recognizable skipper, with its dark wings and contrasting silver markings. Adults can be seen throughout the summer, typically found flying in the shade or resting upside down from a leaf on hot days. Like most skipper species, their caterpillars will roll themselves inside a leaf, secured by silk, and emerge at night to feed. They are found throughout North America, preferring open habitats like forest edges, swamps, and lowland riparian areas.
Connie Geiger, June 26th, 2024. Meriwether Campground, Missouri River, MT.
White-lined Sphinx Moth
Hyles lineata
White-lined sphinx Moths are one of the most abundant hawk moths in North America, having a wide geographic range (from southern Canada into Central America). The caterpillars are large and beautiful, with a reddish-orange horn at the rear. Here in MT, the caterpillars will overwinter with adult moths starting to appear in May (this individual looks close). After mating and laying eggs, we typically see the next generation of adults in late summer. In warmer climates there are even more generations each year. They occupy a wide variety of open habitats including deserts, suburbs, and gardens.
Jennifer Wells, June 26th, 2024. Missoula, MT.
Blister Beetle
Lytta sp.
Lytta is a diverse genus of blister beetles, with 47 species in North America and the most diversity occurring in the West. As their name suggests, blister beetles can produce a toxic compound, Cantharidin, that they secrete when threatened. Cantharidin is a fatty terpenoid that causes painful, blistering reactions to human skin and is poisonous in large doses. However, there are reports that Cantharidin has an aphrodisiac effect; in fact, male blister beetles will produce small amounts of the toxin and present them to a female as a copulatory gift. She will use the gift to cover her eggs as a blanket of protection against predators. But maybe don’t try it on your next date.
Marti Brandt, June 20th, 2024. Whitefish, MT.
Northern Orbweaver
Aculepeira packardi
This stunning orbweaver spider is a widespread species usually encountered in alpine meadows. Unlike other orbweavers, she tends not to rest in the center of her web during the day, instead retreating to the edges where she is more sheltered. Female orbweavers tend to stick close to their web, rarely wandering; the significantly smaller males, however, are constantly on the move, searching for a female’s web to approach. In the fall, female orbweavers lay a clutch of eggs, which will overwinter and hatch in the spring.
Nicole Schulz-Smith, June 26th, 2024. Arlee, MT.
