National Moth Week, It's A Wrap!

That is it, NMW is over and done with until next year. It has been a huge success as for Citizen Science Programs go, we had 49 U.S. States, plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico (North Dakota has no moths) & 28 Countries participate in events. It might even be the largest global citizen science project ever in regards to Moths. Part of this week has not only been about moths but nocturnal biodiversity. So here are a few images of insects that showed up on the sheet, for more of my moth photos click here.

First up is what looks to be a Leptoglossus occidentalis / Western Conifer Seed Bug, this was found on opening night at Elk Pine Woods in East Brunswick, NJ. Here is the Bug Guide on this species.

Also from Opening Night, Eburia quadrigeminata - Ivory-marked Beetle. This was quite a treat to photograph and was the first time I have ever seen this species. For a little info on this go to Bug Guide.

Here is a Tibicen canicularis / Dog-day Cicada from Wednesday over at Dekote Park in the Meadowlands. This was fresh out of the ground.

What I think is Vespula maculifrons / Eastern Yellowjacket stopped by Friday at Frost Woods in East Brunswick. Also had some Bald Faced & European Hornets to the sheet but I did not have enough time to photograph them all.

So that is it for now, but you have more than enough time to get ready for next year's National Moth Week. And if North Dakota is reading this, "Get with the program would ya!"

Late Night Guest

Once again UV Light Trapping was slow, mostly Gnats again, a few "Skeeters", couple of Craneflies and this little drop in.

A Short-tailed Ichneumon Wasp, took me a bit of time to identify it, but with the help of Bug Guide it was easy.

So if the weather holds out tonight, the lights will be back up and with this humidity, maybe I'll be posting moth photos soon. Wish me luck!

Backyard Insect Rave

What do you get when you mix a blacklight & a white sheet? You get a whole lot of unknown Gnats & some Craneflies.

UV Setup

Now that it is warm here in the great state of New Jersey, the blacklight trap has emerged from its winter slumber. Last nights venture only drew in one unknown moth, but a lot of craneflies. I did ID one Fungus Gnat, but that was only due to the fact that I know what they look like. The junior entomologist in me still is not skilled enough to ID with out a picture and a book. Someday it will happen!
All in all it was not a bad night, trap ran from 9-11 pm, got one good image of a female Cranefly, but more will come soon.

Cranefly

I plan on running this setup every other night until the weather makes it impossible. So if you are driving through South River and see a blue glow its probably me.

Insect Of The Week: Halloween Pennant

I've been trying to blend my commercial & science photo into interesting insect portraits. Now quite at a perfected system yet, but one quickly finds out that insects don't follow directions as well as a live human model. Shot this using Canon 40D mounted with a 180mm Macro, Sigma Ringlight & a Sunpak PZ5000 (fired with a Cactus V4). The basic main and fill lighting, wonder if somehow another light could be brought in? I'll call it a winglight instead of a hairlight.
For a little info on this fine specimen visit BugGuide.net