Wild Silk Moths - Saturniidae
Medium to very large - largest moths in North America.
Wingspans 3 - 15 cm
Small heads, densely hairy bodies.
Larvae usually fleshy, with clumps of raised bristles. Buck moth caterpillars
with sharp, stinging hairs. Caterpillars mostly feed on leaves of trees and
shrubs. Pupate in silken cocoons
or in soil.
Buck and Io Moths - Hemileucinae
Western sheepmoth - Hemileuca eglanterina
Giant Silkworm Moths - Saturniinae
Ceanothus silkmoth
- Hyalophora euryalus
White-streaked saturnia moth - Saturnia albofasciata
Mendocino saturnia moth - Saturnia mendocino
Sphinx Moths, Hawkmoths - Sphingidae
Alternatively called "hummingbird," "sphinx," or "hawk" moths.
Medium to large moths, heavy bodied; wingspan up to 13 cm in some species.
Strong fast fliers, rapid wingbeat.
Active at dusk, hover in front of a flower, sip nectar through the extended
proboscis
Some species lack scales on large portions of their wings, resulting in
transparent or clear wings. Larval stages in most species called "hornworm"
because posterior end has a harmless hook or hornlike appendage protruding
upward.
Sphinginae
One-eyed sphinx - Smerinthus cerisyi
Great ash sphinx - Sphinx chersis
Elegant sphinx - Sphinx perelegans
Vashti sphinx - Sphinx vashti
Macroglossinae
Pacific green sphinx - Arctonotus lucidus
Ello sphinx - Erinnyis ello
Achemon sphinx - Eumorpha achemon
Snowberry clearwing
- Hemaris diffinis
White-lined sphinx
- Hyles lineata
Clark's sphinx
- Proserpinus clarkiae
Prominents - Notodontidae
Medium-sized, stout bodies, typically drab--brown or grayish.
Females generally larger than males.
Proboscis varies by species; specialized or reduced.
At rest hold their wings like a roof over the body or roll them to appear stick-ike.
Larvae of some oddly shaped and may look like sections of host plant. Larvae of
some brightly colored and striped.
Most overwinter as larvae, pupating in soil or on the ground during spring.
Clostera apicalis - Clostera apicalis
Black-rimmed Prominent - Pheosia rimosa
Tiger Moths and Lichen Moths - Arctiidae
Small to medium-sized, often white, yellow, orange, or red with black markings
on the forewings. Some day-flying adults, most nocturnal.
Larvae typically very hairy; some larvae called "woolly bears."
Larvae feed on lichens and herbaceous or woody plants, some are forest pests.
Pupation in cocoons made of matted larval hair and little or no silk.
Pericopine Moths - Pericopinae
Sierra
Pericopid - Gnophaela latipennis
Tiger Moths - Arctiinae
Painted Tiger Moth
- Arachnis
picta
Clio
Moth - Ectypia clio
Salt Marsh Moth or Acrea Moth
- Estigmene acrea
Grammia nevadensis - Grammia nevadensis
Ornate Tiger Moth - Grammia ornata
Edwards' Glassywing - Hemihyalea edwardsii
Leptarctia californiae - Leptarctia californiae
Mexican
Tiger Moth - Notarctia proxima
Wandering Tiger Moth - Spilosoma vagans
Vestal Tiger Moth - Spilosoma vestalis
Syntomine Moths - Syntominae
Red-Shouldered Ctenucha - Ctenucha rubroscapus
Owlet Moths, Miller Moths - Noctuidae
Largest moth family with approximately 20,000 species. North American population
is around 2,900.
Wide variation in appearance and behavior. Most are gray to brown in color and
have line or spots on their wings. Some are brightly colored.
Small to large, with most species medium-sized with wingspans of 2 - 4.5 cm.
At rest, most hold their wings above their bodies like a roof.
Mostly nocturnal.
Larvae feed on plant foliage, dead leaves, lichens, and fungi. Feeding varies
with leaf miners, stem- or leaf-borers, and others feeding on plant
shoots.
Pupate in cells in soil, in plant cavities, or in silk cocoons.
Catocaline Noctuid Moths - Catocalinae
Black Witch - Ascalapha odorata
Heliothentine Noctuids, Flower Moths -
Heliothentinae
Schinia honesta - Schinia honesta
Schinia megarena - Schinia megarena
Schinia tertia - Schinia tertia
Schinia vacciniae - Schinia vacciniae
Oecophorid Moths - Oecophoridae
Small to medium-sized, with wingspans ranging from 0.3 to 3 cm.
Smooth-scaled heads and broad forewings.
Larvae normally feed concealed in webs or in rolled leaves of the host plant.
Larvae of some feed on dead leaves, decomposing animals, or decaying fungi.
Pupation occurs in larval shelters, on the ground, or below its surface.
Wavy-lined
Emerald - Synchlora aerata liquoraria
