Back Yard Ticks...

I love my back yard list - and I'm not ashamed to say so! We've been here, in the heart of Toronto, for nine years now and I've been running my trap for much of that time. Thus far I'm up to 530 species of moths - which I think is alright for a garden that is only 15 feet square!! There are a quite a variety of trees and shrubs in the gardens around us but there is nothing in the way of extensive natural vegetation. Therefore I am constantly surprised by what turns up in my trap. With the nice warm weather we've of late I've done quite well for new additions to the list - here are a few of them:

My very observant son James spotted this one sitting on the fence near the trap this morning - is a lovely Signate Melanolophia. Is not particularly uncommon but I don't catch them anywhere with any regularity - its sister species the Canadian Melanolophia is much more abundant in my mind.


This rather splendid geometer is a Tawny Pug. I've waited years to catch this one here, always knew I would, eventually! There are many moths that we call "Pugs" in the genus Eupithecia. Most of them are horrifically dull and hard to identify, but not this dazzler...


This rather fetching noctuid is a Reddish Speckled Dart. It has a short flight period in the springtime and is another moth that is easily missed if the weather is inclement, which it often is. I caught some more pristine examples at Wilson Tract a few days ago...but to put one of them up here would have been cheating!


Finally a micro - hooray! This is a totrix called Pseudexentera virginiana. It would have been completely new for me if only I hadn't caught one at Wilson Tract a few days ago! Damn that place...