New York City Bugs

Diva Hemerophila Moth (Hemerophila diva), family Choreutidae, found in Florida and Cuba

Irenia Metalmark (Thisbe irenea), family Riodinidae, Peru

Diva Hemerophila Moth (Hemerophila diva), family Choreutidae, found in FL, USA, and Cuba.

Butterfly of the day Synchlora pulchrifimbria

Leafhoppers! What I would consider "my muse" of nature photography. They are sooo diverse and colorful and wonderful and SO understudied! I love being able to showcase their underrated beauty.

This exemplar belongs to the genus Paracarinolidia! I really like how large their eyes are, and the starry night-like dots on their wings!

Not-a-Butterfly of the day Pompelon marginata

Lipstick Skipper aka Blood Red Skipper (Haemactis sanguinalis), family Hesperiidae, Reserva Natural Maycu, Ecuador

Another insect shaken out of the trees in front of the hotel.

Fairly average in appearance for a Thrips (singular and plural), although perhaps towards the larger end of the spectrum. Note the conical head, short and somewhat clumsy legs, and feathery wings. The name of the Order, Thysanoptera, refers to the fringe on the wings.

Common names for thrips include thunderflies, thunderbugs, storm flies, thunderblights, storm bugs, corn fleas, corn flies, corn lice, freckle bugs, harvest bugs, and physopods (the later refers to the bladder-like tips to the tarsi of the legs).

Some 3,400 species are described in this family, and many are tropical fungivores. Most thrips eat fungus, some are predatory, but a few are agricultural pests, and some are gall-formers.

The largest thrips - Idolothrips marginatus - is in this family and can reach a bodylength of up to 14 mm.

We also saw these other thrips in abundance, doing what thrips are well-known for doing - descending in swarms on anything yellow. These other ones are probably in the other suborder of thrips, however.

Pyralid Moth (Toccolosida rubriceps), family Pyralidae, Fraser Hill, Selangor, Malaysia

Rosy Footman Moth (Miltochrista miniata), family Erebidae, Poland

Pink Noctuid Moth (Philareta treitschki), family Noctuidae, Turkey

Tortoise Beetle (Spaethiella sp.), family Chrysomelidae, Costa Rica

Glossy Daggerwing (Marpesia furcula), family Nymphalidae, Panama

Princely Tiger Moth (Chrysocale principalis), family Erebidae, found in Mexico and Central America

[Day 94]

-Orache Moth-

Trachea atriplicis

-Pikachu Moth-

Mazuca strigicincta

-Donuca lanipes-