took pictures of this unusually marked individual at 14:27 today. note in left lateral view brown area between second and third leg; does anyone know what this is? also observe rounded blue area, front view, on first leg. (which may not appear as blue if you have a pc-and let's not go into what 'pc' stands for just now.) aside from the faux eyes toward the front of the head, there are round black protrusions on the top of the head which also resemble eyes. i attempted to nudge the moth gently with a small artist's brush to reposition. at first this was okay but, finally nettled at my disturbing his/her sleep-i guess-off flew the moth. once moved a bit, i did see antennae, similar in looks, as i recall, to those of an orange-patched smoky male but comprised of two large sections, with smaller segments perhaps as well, angled one to the other. can anyone explain the rapid, short-distance wing flutter i often note in moths? thanks!

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after looking at a number of pictures i observe the body of the male is dark in color, that of the female light. and that the male has bright yellow markings on the back wings.

this moth has a light colored body, and in fluttering wings prior to tower clearance for flight, i did not, brief though my observation was, remark yellow. ergo, a female.