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| We spotted an all-white moth on the exterior of the Science Building, Mickle Hall, resting on a concrete window ledge near the arboretum shed. It's small, measuring less than an inch in length, and it is mostly inconspicuous against the gray cement. |
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| Surprisingly, the proximity of the camera didn't seem to bother the moth―hence it was subjected to some close-up photography. The wings look very soft and legs carry black markings. This delicate creature is very neat! Which species of moth might we be looking at? Consulting our most popular search engine for 'white moth' results in immediate & sheer terror: the white satin moth (Leucoma salicis), an invasive species known for large-scale defoliation. |
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| After extensive combing through online image catalogs, notably the Pacific Northwest Moths hosted by Western Washington University, another possibility arises: it's simply a native nuisance, the fall webworm (Hyphantria cunea). Zooming in on the photo, we see a yellowish color on the front legs, which is a characteristic of our fall webworm. A more thorough examination was not conducted, i.e., the moth would essentially have to be killed and autopsied, so we cannot give a firm identification of this individual. But we must note that fall webworm caterpillars were previously hard at work in the arboretum, feasting on a young sweetgum; you can read that blog post here. |
