Moth - Hypena scabra - BugGuide.Net

Green Cloverworm

Green Cloverworm - Hypena scabra, sample image:

I've seen these several times but been unable to get the identification--I finally found it, seeing it one more time and determined to find it! This reminded me of a Bomolocha, so I checked that subfamily (Hypeninae) of noctuids, and there it was.

There are thousands of Noctuids, and the groups are very hard to keep straight. (Not to mention just realizing it is a noctuid can be quite difficult.) Anthony Thomas mentioned the Moth Photographer's Group--that is excellent, but owevwhelming. Browsing through the moth families here in BugGuide may be a little less cumbersome, though there is not nearly the coverage that MPG has.

Good luck. If you really like moths, you will begin to recognize them after some practice.

Patrick Coin
Durham, North Carolina

… Cotinis, 13 October, 2005 - 2:55pm

Where to start?

A couple of ways. Post the image on BugGuide - the easiest way but perhaps not the most rewarding for a learning technique. Or, scroll through Bob Patterson's several hundred MPG Plates!! For the MPG plates you will need a fast internet connection. It helps to know the family but this can come only with experience. Give the MPG live plates a try, your moth is a noctuid and it will turn up in the 1st 20 plates.

… A.W. Thomas, 13 October, 2005 - 2:30pm

Thanks

Thanks for the tips and family ID.. I am already a contributor to MPG and frequent visitor, but I still find it hard differentiating between some families. Is it Hypena scabra(1)?

… volcano, 13 October, 2005 - 2:47pm

Yes

That was quick.

… A.W. Thomas, 13 October, 2005 - 2:56pm