Moths (large emergence) - Choristoneura

Moved

Moved from Tortricinae.

… Jason J. Dombroskie, 30 March, 2017 - 8:18am

Moved

Moved from Butterflies and Moths.

… Kyhl Austin, 13 January, 2017 - 12:26am

Moved

Moved from ID Request.

… Kyhl Austin, 8 January, 2017 - 3:35pm

Tortricid Moths

There may be some of these in mixed there, but I'm not sure and you may have more than one species in your images. Close-ups are recommended for most IDs. If confirmed, this could be a first for your state, congrats?
Jack Pine Budworm Moth, Choristoneura pinus

Are there lots of Pine trees around there? There must be. FROM INFO: "Numbers are highest, and outbreaks most common in Ontario, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan."

… Bob Biagi, 4 January, 2017 - 4:59pm

moth emergence

A fine place to visit but not "my" state -- we were visiting Butte for the first time. According to my source this emergence has been occurring there for years. Not sure that pine is the host plant -- spruce? I have landscape shots which show a few scrub trees, which I recall being mostly juniper and spruce; the photos are not clear but the trees forms are pointy / conical, and not the flat / round top characteristic of pine. The natural landscape is a patch-work of veg which I'd describe as high desert, lots of grasses, some forbs, and plenty of sagebrush and other desert shrubs, (and lots of rocks).

The Western Spruce Budworm Choristoneura freemani http://bugguide.net/node/view/304533 and related sp. was (is) our best guess. When I enlarge a photo to a single specimen the definition is not great. I think you agree that the photos of mass numbers are striking. Multiple species of (related) moths certainly seems possible, aside from their flight habits apparently the same; the spruce budworm commentary says that several species are nearly impossible to sort out by just photograph.

'Fraid I failed to care for my voucher specimens, had to throw them out.

Glen

… Glen Buschmann, 4 January, 2017 - 6:19pm

Wow!

I would be in heaven if that was my house. It would be like when I saw a mayfly swarm

… Owen Davids, 4 January, 2017 - 4:58pm

moth numbers

The maintenance fellow said it were these moths that prompted his purchase of a pressure washer a couple of years ago. He was removing many thousands each morning. Stepping outside, one directly became a player in a scene of crushed wings and hemolymphic gore. (One crying young child forced her parent to carry her over the massed moths.) ;-) GB

… Glen Buschmann, 4 January, 2017 - 7:46pm

aww,

that's too bad. I would have loved to have them stick around. Poor child as well ;-)
At least you got some nice pictures of 'em when they were alive

… Owen Davids, 4 January, 2017 - 9:15pm

lots of moths

Yeah Joe, the girls older brother thought they were kinda cool. The ones washed off of the mot(h)el were but a small percent of the total hatch. It is one of those short season massive hatches, emerge and done in maybe two weeks . Based on everything I have learned, they'll be back next year, and if we are there the same time, I'll save some for you. GB

… Glen Buschmann, 4 January, 2017 - 9:52pm

Cheers!

Thanks for sharing, made me happy. Would love to see some more pics if your timing next year is good

… Owen Davids, 5 January, 2017 - 10:59am