Tag Archives: Neoalcis californiaria

National Moth Week, 2023 – Day 5 in the San Juan Islands

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Last night I tried out a black light tube instead of my UVB light or the miserable fail of the switched-off porch light I wrote about yesterday. My thoughts on the black light? Not effective. Either the light was the issue or there just weren’t many moths flying about last night at all. I did find a few moths. Mostly, I found small micro-moths. Some are hardly noticeable at all. At first glance, you could mistake them for a drop of bird poo on the bucket. In a tree or shrub, you might miss them entirely. It takes magnification to see them clearly.

Tonight, I’m going to go back to the UVB tube light. Hopefully with better results. If you’re interested in knowing more about MOTHING or finding out about National Moth Week, feel free to reach out or check out the link here – https://nationalmothweek.org

Here’s my Gallery for Day FIVE. Thanks for stopping by!

Pero mizon
Brown lined Looper, (Neoalcis californiaria)
Possibly one of the Knot Horn Moths, Family Pyralidae, Subfamily Phycitinae
Double Banded Carpet moth (Spargania magnoliata) I believe
Genus Ephestiodes, one of the snout moths in the family Pyralidae
Genus Ephestiodes, one of the snout moths in the family Pyralidae
Genus Ephestioides
Pero mizon
Genus Ephestiodes
Tribe Archipini, one of the Tortrix moths
Genus Ephestiodes, one of the snout moths in the family Pyralidae

National Moth Week, 2023 – Day 3 in the San Juan Islands

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Here’s today’s grouping of moths from last night’s mothing effort. It’s raining today in the San Juans. We sure do need the rain since it’s been so dry, but I got pretty wet outside this morning trying to sort moths and take photographs. The moisture will definitely be good for insect populations and also keep my flower garden blooming a bit longer this season.

If you’re interested in learning about what species of moths (or other insects and spiders) we have in the San Juans, feel free to reach out. I am always happy to answer questions. For anyone interested in participating in National Moth Week, here’s a link to their website – https://nationalmothweek.org

Moth Gallery

Autographa corusca
Pero mizon
Genus Choristoneura
Arta epicoenalis
Perizoma costiguttata
Maple Leaftier Moth (Acleris forsskaleana)
Knot-horn Moths Subfamily Phycitinae
Pale-marked Angle (Macaria signaria)
Arta epicoenalis
Genus Idia
Olethreutine Leafroller Moths Subfamily Olethreutinae
Pale-marked Angle Macaria signaria
Sulphur Moth (Hesperumia sulphuraria) and Ichneumonid wasp
Gray Scoopwing (Callizzia amorata)
Pero mizon
Variable Girdle Moth (Sabulodes venata)
Brown-lined Looper (Neoalcis californiaria)
Pale-marked Angle (Macaria signaria)
Genus Ephestiodes
Hedya Moths (Genus Hedya)
Western Conifer Looper (Caripeta aequaliaria)
Genus Ephestiodes
Pyrausta perrubralis
Nemoria darwiniata
Lophocampa maculata
Genus Decantha
Genus Decantha
Variable Girdle Moth (Sabulodes venata)
Stamnoctenis pearsalli
Genus Clepsis

Brownlined Looper (Neoalcis californiaria)

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I found this specimen ready to hitch a ride on the car window when I was leaving a dinner on Sunday evening, August 25, 2019. Time of sighting was 7:32 pm. It managed to stay on the window glass as we pulled out of the driveway, but blew off as we began our drive home.

This is a Brownlined Looper moth, Neoalcis californiaria in the family Geometridae and is the single species in its genus in North America. Its distribution ranges from Southern California to British Columbia. Adults can be found flying between March and October in the Pacific Northwest, but have been documented flying as late as December in California. Larvae of this species feed mostly on conifers, including Douglas-Fir, Western Hemlock, Western Red Cedar, Grand Fir, Lodgepole Pine (Canadian Forest Service) as well as many broadleaf trees and shrubs (USGS).

First described by American Entomologist, Alphaeus Spring Packard in 1871, this rather nondescript moth was initially named Boarmia californiaria. A description by Packard is found in the Proceedings of the Boston Society of Natural History. Volume 13 https://archive.org/details/proceedingsbost07histgoog/page/n39 or view description attached below.

Neoalcis californiaria
August 25, 2019, 7:32 pm
San Juan Island, WA
Neoalcis californiaria
August 25, 2019, 7:32 pm
San Juan Island, WA
Packard’s description of Boarmia californiaria
renamed Neoalcis californica
part 1
Packard’s description of Boarmia californiaria
renamed Neoalcis californica
part 2

References

Bugguide.net. https://bugguide.net/node/view/9696

North American Moth Photographers Group. Mississippi State University Digital Guide to Moth Identification http://mothphotographersgroup.msstate.edu/species.php?hodges=6435

Powell, J. A., and P. A. Opler 2009. Moths of Western North America. pl. 28.14; p. 208.