Tag: mothing

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Of Moths and Cousins

National Moth Week may be over for 2019, but I have so many more images to share. These pictures were all sent to me by friends and relatives who’ve been inspired to stop and look at the incredible moths that live in their part of the world. Like these ones.

First up this week, my cousins Keri and Tracy, who were wowed by a small-eyed sphinx moth that showed up on Tracy’s front door in Massachusetts back in June:

I can’t say the girls were super excited to know its name, and I don’t know if all my moth enthusiasm convinced them to hang out a sheet with collecting lights. (This is doubtful!) But I can tell you that Keri continues to send me moth photos. (I think she’s hooked!) This is an image she sent me just yesterday, from Georgia. It’s a pink-striped oakworm moth, I believe, and it’s a beauty.


You know what they say about cousins, right? They’re your first best moth-ing friends. Thanks for studying moths with me, Keri and Tracy. I hope we can do it in person one day soon. I’ll bring the lights. <3 <3

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Happy National Moth Week!

Happy National Moth Week!

One of the interesting parts of writing a book about moth-watching, besides all the local moths I’ve gotten to know, is how many people reach out to me with photos of the insects they find in their own backyards. I find this thrilling, because it means there are a lot of curious people out there. The moths below, for example, were all found and photographed by friends who weren’t even looking for moths. But they recognized something interesting when it crossed their path, snapped a picture, and sought out more information.  

Which leads me to the hard part of finding these photos in my Inbox: I’m an amateur moth enthusiast and most of the time I have no clue what the insect in question is! But I have a lot of field guides—print and online, and I always have fun looking into it. Here are a couple photographs sent to me by friends in the northeastern US this summer, including two that came in just today. I hope they inspire you to look for moths in your neighborhood!

This image was sent to me by my friend Amelia, who woke one morning to find these gorgeous luna moths (Actias luna) hanging out at her door. They were surely attracted to the porch lights which, for the record, are fit with regular old lightbulbs. You don’t need fancy blacklights to attract moths! (Although blacklights will definitely increase the number of moths that visit you.)
This moth was found by my friend Mariano on his porch in central Massachusetts, at about 2am. I had no idea what it was, but with the help of iNaturalist (see comment below), I was able to zero in on similar-looking moths seen in the same part of Massachusetts recently. Based on that list, I think this is Robin’s carpenterworm moth (Prionoxystus robiniae).
This moth was spotted by Becky and her family (who happen to star in YOU’RE INVITED TO A MOTH BALL!) during a visit to Cape Cod. At first I told Becky I thought it was a Giant Leopard Moth, although its wings looked funny, as if all the scales had rubbed off. As I told her that, a little alarm went off in my head; I thought I might have told someone else that same thing recently. (See next photo.) A little additional research online led me to the correct identification: Leopard Moth (no “Giant” … Zeuzera pyrina). I think. 
🙂
This picture came to me in a text from my daughter, who was hanging out at a skate park at the time. She and her friends found it under the park lights after dark and I told her, “I think this is a Giant Leopard Moth, but it kinda looks funny.” I left it there, but a later moth (see previous photo) helped me realize my error. Now that I’ve mis-ID’d this Leopard Moth (Zeuzera pyrina) twice, I think it’ll stick with me.
Last but not least, this beauty sent to me by my favorite tennis player of all time, Trisha. Her text said, “Not sure what it is or why it is stuck to my window, but it made me think of you.” Ha. I don’t know why it decided to land on her window either, but I do know it’s not a moth. It’s a Red Admiral butterfly! 
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Coming April 2020 …

On April 7, 2020, you’re invited to an epic nighttime adventure. That’s the day my next picture book, illustrated by Ellen Harasimowicz and edited by Karen Boss at Charlesbridge Publishing, will fly into this world.

If you’ve tuned in to my recent moth adventures, here or on Instagram, this is the book that’ll help you and your favorite curious young explorers create moth adventures just like them in your own backyards. YOU’RE INVITED TO A MOTH BALL is written especially for the K-3 crowd, but if you’re reading this post, there’s something in its pages for you, too.

Revealing a new book cover is a delight that only comes ’round once every few years, so I’m going to be celebrating for weeks. The book may not be available until next spring, but there are moths out there right now, people.

Party on!

Edited to add: You’ll be able to purchase this book at your favorite local independent bookstore in April 2020, or possibly before. SUPPORT YOUR INDIES! You can also pre-order now through Amazon. Thank you!