[NatureNS] The last lep of summer

Date: Sun, 20 Nov 2011 09:45:43 -0400
From: Peter Payzant <pce@accesswave.ca>
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Yesterday we saw what is normally the last moth of the year. On a sunny 
sheltered south-facing slope, there were dozens of Winter Moths taking 
short flights, landing, and flying again. These were all adult males, 
because the females are virtually wingless and don't fly. I don't recall 
ever seeing so many of them in one place before; perhaps the conditions 
promoted some sort of simultaneous emergence from their pupae. Anyway, 
given the abysmal state of butterflies last summer, it was kind of nice 
to see at least one species flying in good numbers.

This was probably Operophtera brumata (L.), a geometer ("inchworm") 
introduced from Europe sometime before 1930. However, it could also have 
been the native O. bruceata (Hulst); they're extremely difficult to 
distinguish without dissection.

Peter Payzant
Waverley


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    <div style="font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"><font face="Arial">Yesterday
        we saw what is normally the last moth of the year. On a sunny
        sheltered south-facing slope, there were dozens of Winter Moths
        taking short flights, landing, and flying again. These were all
        adult males, because the females are virtually wingless and
        don't fly. I don't recall ever seeing so many of them in one
        place before; perhaps the conditions promoted some sort of
        simultaneous emergence from their pupae. Anyway, given the
        abysmal state of butterflies last summer, it was kind of nice to
        see at least one species flying in good numbers.<br>
        <br>
        This was probably Operophtera brumata (L.), a geometer
        ("inchworm") introduced from Europe sometime before 1930.
        However, it could also have been the native O. bruceata (Hulst);
        they're extremely difficult to distinguish without dissection.<br>
        <br>
        Peter Payzant<br>
        Waverley<br>
        <br>
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  </body>
</html>

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