Tag Archives: grapeleaf skeletonizer (Harrisina americana)

The unmoth

After days out of town under less than wonderful circumstances, I participated this morning in the second Saturday clean-up at White Rock Lake.  Then I tried enjoying a walk.  But blustery winds made it all but impossible to photograph anything.  Even ducks are vanishing beneath white-capped waves and turtles are brief glimpses behind rough waters.

So I came home.  And found this delightful critter on the patio trying to stay out of the gusty conditions.

A male grapeleaf skeletonizer (Harrisina americana) perched on the patio wall (2010_05_06_054506)

A male grapeleaf skeletonizer (Harrisina americana).  Not your typical moth.  But a moth nonetheless.  In fact, this species is hardly the least moth-looking of moths on the planet.  At least this one has wings!

Our quick photo session ended abruptly after the second snap of the shutter.  It seems this chap was disinclined to tolerate me being so close.

I gave chase across the patio.  He crashed here and there.  At barely a centimeter/half an inch long, keeping track of him was difficult enough given his erratic flight, but when he passed through the fence and vanished into the shadows of the surrounding bushes, I gave up.