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EntoJournal Series; Article 1 (Blacklighting)


 Hey all! I know I was gone for a tiny bit, (6 months to be exact) but I'm back, and with a new series I'll be doing. Don't worry, I will continue posting about the rearing I had with Saturnia walterorum. For now, take this blog entry. 

I was only able to blacklight for two days out of the following weeks, but I sure got enough new species for quite a while! 


This fall so far has been weird, sometimes in a good way. During the first few weeks of fall and late summer, I had been (and still) am recording waaaay more species compared to this spring and summer. I honestly have no idea what's causing this! 

 

I saw many new species and many returning visitors over at the light. Here are some of the species I saw that were past visitors to the UV & MV light. 


Moths

1. - Wedgling Moth (Galgula Partita) | count 1 (Sp #1

2.  - Armyworm Moth (Mythimna unipuncta) | count 1 

3. - Filbertworm Moth (Cydia latiferreana) | count 16-ish, nice to see these always! 

4. - European Sallow Button (Acleris hastiana) | count 3 

5. - Protorthodes melanopis (No Common Name) | count 2, love these ones and their oval patterning.

6. - Subterranean Dart (Feltia subterranea) | count 2

7. - Somber Carpet Moth (Disclisioprocta stellata) | count 1

8. - Green Cutworm Moth (Anicla infecta) | count 1, some of them can have really neat patterns. 

9. - Large Paectes Moth (Paectes abrostoloides) | count 1, I had been wishing to see one of these again! Yay!



Wavy-Lined Emerald (Synchlora aerata)

Dot-Lined Angle (Psamatodes abydata)





Other Bugs

1. Arizona Mantis (Stagmomantis limbata) | count 3, I think the season will be finishing soon?

2.  California Anglewing (Microcentrum californicum) | count 3, not always handled but welcomed visitor


Arizona Mantis (Stagmomantis limbata)

Now, onto the new visitors!


Moths

1. Wavy-Lined Emerald (Synchlora aerata) | count 2, I saw one of these last summer on a flower so technically it isn't new but I'm going to put it here anyways.

2. Dot-Lined Angle (Psamatodes abydata) | count 1, I was fascinated by this pretty large geometrid. It was also somewhat fresh so that's a plus for me and my photographing!

3. Yellow-striped Armyworm (Spodoptera orthinogalli) | count 1, I love the webbing on this individual. Another one with the already saw but never showed up at the blacklight. When I had previously encountered the larvae in my garden I had thought I found a Noctua pronuba. Upon a short period of rearing I found it wasn't and I just let it free on the host. Maybe this individual is the one I had the encounter with?

4. Eudrepanulatix refasciata (No Common Name) | count 1, the scientific name seems like a pain to spell but it's really easy coming from someone who's new to the latin aspect of Lepidoptera names. 

5. Protorthodes alfkenii (No Common Name) | count 1, larger than most Protorthodes I've encountered. 


Other Bugs

1. Southern Green Stink Bug (Nezara viridula) | count 1, was very shy when handled and would often fly off my hand whenever possible. (Still was able to get a good pic though!) 


Southern Green Stink Bug (Nezara viridula) 


Time to bring out the unknown species that I've encountered!

1. Protorthodes sp. (INat Link: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/96860610) | count 1, looks almost bronze and really pretty. When I picked it up it just flopped down and into the crevices of the patio floorboard. :') 

2. Noctuinae sp. (INat Link: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/97182894) | count 2, looks neat. I really want to know what the species is but I'm all stumped when I try and search!


If you want to see the pictures for all the species I encountered on that weekend, I suggest you visit this link. (https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?created_d1=2021-10-01&created_d2=2021-10-04&d1=2021-10-01&d2=2021-10-02&place_id=any&subview=map&taxon_id=47157&user_id=ishaan2009&verifiable=any)


{That's the end of my first EntoJournal blog post!) Thank you to all the people who have ID'd my observations on INat and who have liked my Instagram posts. It is appreciated greatly. Have a great day and a wonderful week! :-)


INaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/people/4733008

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mothsgalore/ 


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