Linden Looper (Erannis tiliaria - 6665)

Linden Looper (Erannis tiliaria - 6665)

One of the few moth species I've been seeing on recent cool fall evenings.  Some evenings these fall and winter moths were abundant, with a dozen or more around our porch light.  All the Linden Loopers one normally sees are males.  Females are wingless.

From BugGuide: 

Range:  Alberta to Nova Scotia, south to Missouri, Georgia, Utah and Texas.

Food:  Hosts include basswood, apple, ash, beech, birch, elm, maple, oak, poplar, Prunus and Ribes.

Photo of female.

Photo of caterpillar.

Linden Looper (Erannis tiliaria - 6665)

Variegated Fritillary Caterpillar (Euptoieta claudia)

Variegated Fritillary Caterpillar (Euptoieta claudia)

Source:  BugGuide:

Range:  North America and southern South America.  Permanent resident in south. Annually spreads and colonizes northwards usaully to southern Canada. 

Habitat:  Any open sunny area particularly fields and grasslands with flowers present. Caterpillars can often be found on Pansies, Violets, Flax, and Passion Vines in flower gardens.  (This particular caterpillar was found on our basement door.  Moved to a nearby log for photographing.)

Life Cycle:  Multiple generations per year (up to two or three in north, and four or more overlapping broods in south).

Variegated Fritillary Caterpillar (Euptoieta claudia)

Lettuce From Fall Garden Bed

Jo is harvesting lettuce from under the plastic and wire tunnel covering our fall garden bed. Rusty is helping.

Lettuce From Fall Garden Bed

In The Garden

Out in our garden Jo and I are mostly focused on clean up and preparing for winter.

We've had temperatures slightly below freezing and several frosts, but all the volunteer dill weed is still looking good. I never realized dill was so hardy.

Almost finished mulching this bed. When finished; I'll cover with chicken wire which will help keep the leaves on and the armadillo out.

Garlic is still growing since our temperatures remain relatively warm. The garlic that got covered when I mulched the bed is growing up through the mulch.

Not everything has given up on blooming here in the late fall. This dandelion is doing just fine.

In The Garden

Black-barred Brown Moth (Plagiomimicus pityochromus - 9754)

Black-barred Brown (Plagiomimicus pityochromus - 9754)

From BugGuide:

Range: Eastern United States and southern Ontario.

Season: Adults fly from July to September.

Food: Larvae feed on Giant Ragweed (Ambrosia trifida).


See also: Moth Photographers Group

Black-barred Brown Moth (Plagiomimicus pityochromus - 9754)

Bok Choy

Warm fall temperatures are causing our Bok Choy (Chinese cabbage) to bloom and go to seed.

Bok Choy

Goldenrod Flower Moth (Schinia nundina - 11177)

Goldenrod Flower Moth (Schinia nundina - 11177)

From BugGuide:

Range: Found east of a line from Arizona to Minnesota and Nova Scotia.

Season: Most records are July through October.


See also: Moth Photographers Group

Goldenrod Flower Moth (Schinia nundina - 11177)

Multicolored Asian Lady Beetle (Harmonia axyridis)

Multicolored Asian Lady Beetle (Harmonia axyridis)

Warm fall temperatures are bringing out many of these Asian invaders. 

For more details, please see BugGuide.

Multicolored Asian Lady Beetle (Harmonia axyridis)