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Note these are not pretty moth pictures and some may find them gruesome. I spotted this ailing moth on the ceiling of the veranda on Tuesday evening (bright and sunny). It is obviously dying (or dead) but must have flown up in the past 1-2 hrs or I would have noticed it earlier. It could be a Silver-Spotted Fern Moth (Callopistria cordata)- I only say this b/c one was on the deck a few weeks ago. Note the sickle-like fang protruding from under it and the obvious liquid on its body plus the unusual tufty growths. http://www.flickr.com/photos/92981528@N08/9318691383/ A side view shows up some more details like the odd legs projecting from its head end and side. http://www.flickr.com/photos/92981528@N08/9318690051/ My interpretation: The scythe-like fangs and prolegs look like a doodlebug (larva of an Antlion Myrmeleon spp). Predaceous beasts that bely their cheery names such as this one found online: http://www.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/hortnews/files/images/antlion%2520-%2520Dodds_0.preview.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/hortnews/2008/7-30/antlion.html&h=390&w=500&sz=97&tbnid=OPLnGu3gKNcb3M:&tbnh=85&tbnw=109&zoom=1&usg=__k27etnBpNZ6JrTZ-iD2-vu3iOEw=&docid=OKX6MNwFAu0dfM&sa=X&ei=TDvpUeT-GYji4APWpYGgDQ&ved=0CC4Q9QEwAA&dur=1516 Doodlebugs have similar fangs and also prolegs on their rear end. In my photos it would be oriented in the opposite direction to the moth. They digest their prey like spiders by injecting enzymes into the victim (the wet stuff on the moth may be a product of it being dissolved internally). The antlion larvae could have attacked the moth and made it fly off during daytime with its doodlebug passenger attached that eventually ate it. Pure speculation on my part. Unfortunately, by the time I got a ladder to knock them into a jar to see what was what the duo had fallen to the ground b/t the deck boards. Other ideas? Nancy
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