Hooktip and False Owlet Moths of Berrien County, Michigan

The hooktip and false owlet moths (Family Drepanidae) are represented in Berrien County, as documented in Sherman Moore’s (1955) Annotated List of the Moths of Michigan (.pdf), consist of just 2 species (representing 2 subfamilies and 2 genera).

The hooktip and false owlet moths of Berrien County represent 9.5 percent of the 21 species known from the U.S. and Canada and 0.6 percent of the approximately 1,000 species known worldwide.

Taxonomic classification and scientific names follow the All-Leps North American Checklist, while common names are from the BugGuide. An asterisk denotes a species documented from Berrien County by Moore:

Subfamily Drepaninae (hooktip moths):

Drepana arcuata, Arched Hooktip*

Subfamily Thyatirinae (false owlet moths):

Pseudothyatira cymatophoroides, Tufted Thyatirin*

Silkworm Moths of Berrien County, Michigan

The known silkworm moths (Family Bombycidae) of Berrien County, as documented in Sherman Moore's (1955) Annotated List of the Moths of Michigan (.pdf), consist of just 2 species (representing 1 subfamily and 2 genera). These are medium-sized moths with a wingspread of about 2.0 inches.

The silkworm moths of Berrien County represent 33.3 percent of the 6 species known from the U.S. and Canada and 2 percent of the approximately 100 species known worldwide.

Taxonomic classification and scientific names follow the All-Leps North American Checklist, while common names are from the BugGuide. An asterisk denotes a species documented from Berrien County by Moore:

Subfamily Apatelodinae:

Apatelodes torrefacta, Spotted Apatelodes*

Olceclostera (=Apatelodes) angelica, The Angel*

Underwing Moths of Berrien County, Michigan

The underwing moths are the best known and most colorful of an assortment of otherwise rather drab and obscurely marked middle-sized moths assembled within the Family Erebidae. Often lumped with the owlet moths of an immense family known as the Noctuidae, the All-Leps North American Checklist has raised the underwing moths and their close relatives to the family level, a classification followed here.

Sherman Moore’s (1955) Annotated List of the Moths of Michigan (.pdf) documents the occurrence of 64 species of underwing moths and their allies (representing 7 subfamilies and 28 genera) from Berrien County.

Scientific names and higher-level classifications used in this list follows All-Leps. Common names are primarily from the BugGuide, supplemented with Charles V. Covel’s Eastern Moths in one or two instances. An asterisk (*) denotes a species documented from Berrien County by Moore, while a string of question marks (?????) denotes a species of questionable validity (i.e., I could not confirm Moore's original identity with a known species in All-Leps or the BugGuide).

Subfamily Boletobiinae:

Melanomma auricinctaria, Gold-lined Melanomma Moth*

Oxycilla basipallida (=panatela]* ?????

Subfamily Calpinae (fruit piercing moths):

Plusiodonta compressipalpis, Moonseed Moth*

Scoliopteryx libatrix, The Herald*

Subfamily Catocalinae (underwing moths):

Allotria elonympha, False Underwing*

Caenurgina crassiuscula, Clover Looper*

Caenurgina erechtea, Forage Looper*

Catocala amatrix, The Sweetheart*

Catocala amica, Girlfriend Underwing*

Catocala cara, Darling Underwing*

Catocala cerogama, Yellow-banded Underwing*

Catocala concumbens, Pink Underwing*

Catocala ilia, Ilia Underwing*

Catocala insolabilis, Inconsolable Underwing*

Catocala junctura, Joined Underwing*

Catocala neogama, The Bride*

Catocala parta, Mother Underwing*

Catocala praeclara, Praeclara Underwing*

Catocala relicta, White Underwing*

Catocala ultronia, Ultronia Underwing*

Catocala unijuga, Once-married Underwing*

Drasteria [=Syneda] grandirena [=limbolaris]*

Panopoda rufimargo, Red-lined Panopoda*

Parallelia bistriaris, Maple Looper Moth*

Spiloloma (=Strenoloma) lunilinea, Moon-lined Moth*

Zale lunata, Lunate Zale*

Zale lunifera, Bold-based Zale*

Zale obliqua, Oblique Zale*

Zale undularis, Black Zale*

Subfamily Eublemminae:

Ledaea (=Spargaloma) perditalis, Lost Owlet*

Metalectra discalis, Common Fungus Moth*

Metalectra quadrisignata, Four-spotted Fungus Moth*

Subamily Euteliinae:

Marathyssa inficita, Dark Marathyssa*

Paectes oculatrix, Eyed Paectes*

Subfamily Herminiinae (dried-leaf moths):

Chytolita morbidalis, Morbid Owlet*

Chytolita petrealis, Stone-winged Owlet*

Idia (=Epizeuxis) aemula, Common Idia*

Idia (=Epizeuxis) americalis, American Idia*

Idia (=Epizeuxis) denticulalis, Toothed Idia*

Idia (=Epizeuxis) forbesii*

Idia (=Epizeuxis) julia*

Idia (=Epizeuxis) lubricalis, Glossy Black Idia*

Idia (=Epizeuxis) rotundalis, Rotund Idia Moth*

Idia (=Epizeuxis) scobialis, Smoky Idia*

Lascoria ambigualis, Ambiguous Moth*

Macrochilo (=Hormisa) absorptalis, Slant-lined Owlet*

Macrochilo (=Hormisa) litophora, Brown-lined Owlet Moth*

Palthis angulalis, Dark-spotted Palthis*

Palthis asopialis, Faint-spotted Palthis*

Phalaenostola (=Philometra) eumelusalis, Dark Phalaenostola*

Phalaenostola larentioides, Black-banded Owlet*

Renia factiosalis, Sociable Renia*

Renia flavipunctalis, Yellow-spotted Renia*

Renia salusalis*

Renia sobrialis, Sober Renia*

Zanclognatha laevigata, Variable Zanclognatha*

Zanclognatha lituralis, Lettered Zanclognatha*

Zanclognatha ochreipennis, Wavy-lined Zanclognatha*

Subfamily Hypeninae (owlet snout moths):

Hypena (=Bomolocha) abalienalis, White-lined Bomolocha*

Hypena (=Bomolocha) baltimoralis, Baltimore Bomolocha*

Hypena (=Bomolocha) deceptalis, Deceptive Bomolocha*

Hypena (=Bomolocha) manalis, Flowing-line Bomolocha*

Hypena (=Bomolocha) palparia, Mottled Bomolocha*

Hypena (=Plathypena) scabra, Green Cloverworm Moth*

Subfamily Scolecocampinae:

Amolita fessa, Feeble Grass Moth*

Amolita (=Arzama) obliqua, Oblique Grass Moth*

Isogona tenuis, Thin-lined Owlet*

Scolecocampa liburna, Dead-wood Borer Moth*

Giant Silkworm and Royal Moths of Berrien County, Michigan, and Vicinity

The giant silkworm and royal moths (Family Saturniidae) are among the largest and most brightly colored North American members of the Order Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths). Adults of some North American species attain wingspans of up to 140 mm (5.5 in).

Collectively, Sherman Moore’s (1955) Annotated List of the Moths of Michigan (.pdf) and Butterflies and Moths of North America (BaMoNA) list 10 species (representing 3 subfamilies and 9 genera) as having been confirmed in Berrien County plus the neighboring counties of Cass and Van Buren in Michigan and La Porte and St. Joseph in Indiana. Also, another 4 species (representing 2 additional genera) are likely to occur in the region based on their widespread distribution in Michigan and adjacent States (BoMaNA).

In total, then, 14 species representing 3 families and 11 genera have been cofirmed (or are likely to be found) in Berrien County and vicinity. These 14 species represent 82.4 percent of the 17 species documented from Michigan, 18.2 percent of the 77 species found in the U.S. and Canada, and 1.27 percent of the approximately1,100 species known worldwide.

In the following list, species documented from Berrien County are boldfaced, counties with confirmed records are listed in parentheses, and species whose presence is suspected based on their documented occurrence elsewhere in Michigan and surrounding States are in brackets (with indication of States where recorded). Species denoted with an asterisk (*) are from Sherman, those with a hat (^) are from BoMoNA. Scientific and common names follow All-Leps and the Bug Guide.

Subfamily Ceratocampinae (royal moths):

[Anisota stigma, Spiny Oakworm Moth^ (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI)]

[Anisota senatoria, Orange-tipped Oakworm Moth^ (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI)]

Anisota virginiensis, Pink-striped Oakworm Moth*^ (Berrien, Cass)

[Citheronia regalis, Regal Moth^ (IL, IN, MI, OH)]

Dryocampa (=Anisota) rubicunda, Rosy Maple Moth^ (Berrien, Cass, La Porte, Van Buren)

Eacles imperialis, Imperial Moth*^ (Berrien, Cass, La Porte, Van Buren)

Syssphinx bicolor, Honey Locust Moth^ (Berrien)

Subfamily Hemileucinae (buck and io moths):

Automeris io, Io Moth*^ (Berrien, Cass, La Porte, Van Buren)

[Hemileuca maia, Buckmoth^ (IN, MI, OH)]

[Hemileuca nevadensis, Nevada Buckmoth^ (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI)]

Subfamily Saturniinae (silkmoths):

Actias luna, Luna Moth*^ (Berrien, La Porte, Van Buren)

Antheraea polyphemus, Polyphemus Moth*^ (Berrien, La Porte, Van Buren)

Callosamia angulifera, Tulip-tree Silkmoth*^ (Berrien, Cass, Van Buren)

Callosamia promethea, Promethea Moth*^ (Berrien, Cass, La Porte, St. Joseph, Van Buren)

Hyalophora cecropia, Cecropia Moth^ (Berrien, La Porte, St. Joseph, Van Buren)

Hawk Moths and Sphinx Moths of Berrien County, Michigan, and Vicinity

The hawk moths and sphinx moths (Family Sphingidae) are relatively large, colorful, and readily identified members of the Order Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths). Adults of some species so very much resemble hummingbirds in flight (see, especially, the Hummigbird Clearwing) that they are often mistaken as such by lay persons. The moths of this group are recognized as important pollinators.

Collectively, Sherman Moore’s (1955) Annotated List of the Moths of Michigan (.pdf) and Butterflies and Moths of North America (BaMoNA) indicate confirmed records of 18 species (representing 3 subfamilies, and 13 genera) in Berrien County. Plus, BaMoNA lists another 13 species (representing an additional 3 genera) from the neighboring counties of Cass (2) and Van Buren (9) in Michigan and La Porte (5) in Indiana, and another 3 species (representing an additional 2 genera) that are likely to occur in the region based on their widespread distribution in Michigan and other Great Lakes States (BaMoNA).

In total, then, 34 species representing 3 subfamilies and 18 genera have been confirmed (or are likely to be found) in Berkeley County and vicinity. These 34 species represent 85 percent of the 40 species found in Michigan, 27.4 percent of the 124 species found in the U.S. and Canada, and 2.8 percent of the 1,200 species known worldwide.

In the following list, counties with confirmed records are listed in parentheses; species documented from Berrien County are boldfaced; and species whose presence is suspected based on their documented occurrence elsewhere in Michigan and surrounding States are in brakets (with indication of States where recorded). Species denoted with an asterisk (*) are from Sherman, those with a hat (^) are from BaMoNA.

Subfamily Macroglossinae:

Aellopos tantalus, Tantalus Sphinx*^ (Berren—the only record for MI of this tropical species)

Amphion floridensis, Nessus Sphinx^ (La Porte, Van Buren)

Darapsa choerilus (=pholus), Azalea Sphinx^ (Berrien, Van Buren)

Darapsa myron, Virginia Creeper Sphinx*^ (Berrien, Cass, La Porte)

Darapsa versicolor, Hydrangea Sphinx^ (Cass)

Deidamia inscriptum, Lettered Sphinx^ (Van Buren)

Eumorpha achemon, Achemon Sphinx^ (Van Buren)

Eumorpha pandorus, Pandorus Sphinx*^ (Berrien, La Porte, Van Buren)

Hemaris diffinis, Snowberry Clearwing^ (La Porte, Van Buren)

Hemaris thysbe, Hummingbird Clearwing*^ (Berrien, Van Buren)

[Hyles gallii, Bedstraw Sphinx^ (IL, MI, WI)]

Hyles lineata, White-lined Sphinx*^ (Berrien, La Porte, Van Buren)

[Xylophanes tersa, Tersa Sphinx^ (IL, MI, WI)]

Subfamily Smerinthinae:

Amorpha juglandis, Walnut Sphinx*^ (Berrien, Cass, La Porte, Van Buren)

Smitherinsis cerisyi, One-eyed Sphinx^ (Van Buren)

Smitherinsis jamaicensis, Twin-spotted Sphinx^ (Van Buren)

Pachysphinx modesta, Modest Sphinx*^ (Berrien, Cass, Van Buren)

Paonias excaecata, Blinded Sphinx*^ (Berrien, Van Buren)

Paonias myops, Small-eyed Sphinx*^ (Berrien, La Porte, Van Buren)

Subfamily Sphinginae:

[Agrius cingulata, Pink-spotted Hawkmoth^ (IL, MI)]

Ceratomia amyntor, Elm Sphinx^ (La Porte)

Ceratomia catalpae, Catalpa Sphinx^ (La Porte, Van Buren)

Ceratomia hageni, Hagen’s Sphinx^ (Laporte)

Ceratomia undulosa, Waved Sphinx^ (Berrien, Cass, Van Buren)

Dolba hyloeus, Pawpaw Sphinx*^ (Berrien, Cass, La Porte, Van Buren)

Lapara bombycoides, Northern Pine Sphinx*^ (Berrien)

Manduca quinquemaculata, Five-spotted Hawkmoth*^ (Berrien, La Porte, Van Buren)

Manduca sexta, Carolina Sphinx*^ (Berrien, Cass, La Porte, Van Buren)

Sphinx canadensis, Canadian Sphinx^ (Cass)

Sphinx chersis, Great Ash Sphinx*^ (Berrien, Van Buren)

[Sphinx drupiferarum, Wild Cherry Sphinx^ (IL, MI, OH, WI)]

Sphinx eremitus, Hermit Sphinx* (Berrien, La Porte, Van Buren)

Sphinx kalmiae, Laurel Sphinx*^ (Berrien, La Porte, Van Buren)

Sphinx luscitiosa, Clemen’s Sphinx^ (Van Buren)

Sphinx poecilia, Poecila Sphinx^ (Van Buren)

Is Daniel Craig James Bond or a stand in?

As if you didn't know with the hype surrounding the new Bond movie Quantum of Solace Daniel Craig is an actor he studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in 1991 and apart from his role as Bond he has also appeared in the BBC Television serial Our Friends in the North, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, Road to Perdition, Layer Cake, Enduring Love and Munich.

Is he however the best Bond? He doesn't seem to think so...









Daniel Craig speaking to Rob Driscoll of the Western Mail said “I think I’m only borrowing it, don’t you?” ...“This is all great, but I think someone else is going to come along and hopefully do a better job than I’ve done and move it on. It’s not mine. It’s Ian Fleming’s, it’s the (films’ producers) Broccolis’ – I could say I’m the caretaker, but that’s a naff thing to say.” (Read full article HERE)









Daniel Craig shirtless





Daniel Craig in his Speedos



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Unusual Field of View

It’s not often that one encounters Wood Ducks and American Robins in the same binocular view, but that’s what happened to me yesterday, probably for the first time in my life. Taking advantage of mild afternoon temperatures (in the high 60s), I put the rowboat in the water and rowed along the northern shoreline of Crescent Lake. Approaching a shallow northwesterly extension of the lake that is surrounded by woods on all sides, I spotted two Wood Ducks in the water very close to shore. I quickly put my binoculars on them and found that they were a pair, a male and female, both in high plumage. I soon realized that, immediately behind the Wood Ducks, on the adjacent shore and between them, was an American Robin. Nervous at my presence, the Wood Ducks slowly inched their way along the shoreline away from me. As they did so, the robin kept pace, hopping along the shore with them. It was amusing to see this unusual pairing of species not usually encountered in the same habitats (or at least not in the same field of view): an American Robin framed stunningly by a pair of Wood Ducks.