Hydriomena sp. - 8/5/2010 Lake Forest Park
Xanthorhoe defensaria - 11/5/2010 Lake Forest Park
Still little moth activity over the last few days. The odd spring flying geometrid settles by the outside lights, and not every night. Still, they are not all easy to identify... The top one is a Tissue Moth, which is a congener of the British 'Tissue' (Triphosa dubitata). It is a very handsome insect not really done justice by this photo. They fly in summer, overwinter as adults and fly again in spring. I recorded this species here on 21st August when last in the States. Like dubitata, the larvae feed on Rhamnaceae.
Next is a species of Highflyer (Hydriomena) but I have not been able to determine species. Possibly H. irata but there are 56 North American species plus an estimated 10 undescribed in the West (as opposed to 3 in the U.K.) There are a few photographs online of specimens with almost identical markings but the captions all refer to Hydriomena sp. Pictures of named species in the books and websites I see look different.
Third is Xanthorhoe defensaria. Probably. Xanthorhoe is another fairly speciose genus with many similar species.
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