#hooktip

Photographed in Maryland by Judy Gallagher

Img credit: butterfly-conservation.org

Hey sorry I forgot this blog existed for a hot minute-Lotsa stuff has changed since I last came here. Long story short Azure is no longer king and his inexperienced son ‘took over’ except not really. The true successor of Azure was actually Catalpa’s daughter Hawkmoth and Hooktip is just a front so rival males won’t try storming into their pride. Hawkmoth is considering retiring from leadership soon and Hooktip is desperately trying to prove to her that he's competent enough to take over but currently he's a little distracted by the weird bunny killer lioness he's got a lil crush on.

Rose hooktip moths (Oreta rosea), Fishers Island NY. June 2017. There are two different forms for this moth, and they can look as entirely different species. One form (first photo) is entirely brown with black stripes and resembles a dead section of leaf at rest. The traditional form (second photo) has a large yellow band reaching towards its ends of its wings, with a pink or rose-colored band at the wing tips. Caterpillars feed on the leaves of birches and viburnums. Two generations a year, adults flying from late spring into June, and again in late summer into September. Caterpillars from July and into late fall.

Two generations a year, adults flying from late spring into June, and again in late summer into September. Caterpillars from July and into late fall.