Category: Orthosiini
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Orthosia mys
We’ve been having some wild weather in Howe Sound the last few days. On Friday as I watched our Douglas firs bend double with the wind and nervously watched my lights flicker, I got thinking about “fallout”, when migratory birds get caught up in an extraordinary weather event and are forced to land in a…
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Pemberton, April 2026
Last weekend I took an extra day off work to spend three nights mothing in Pemberton, BC. It’s only a 2 hour drive from where I live, so until now, I’ve just driven through, figuring I wouldn’t pick up anything new. Those suspicions held up: zero new moths, alas. It was still a lovely trip,…
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Egira simplex/crucialis
Continuing with the subject of early year moths, the Egira genus shares the same Orthosiini tribe as Orthosia. I’ve often struggled to tell simplex and crucialis apart for specific individuals. Egira crucialis Egira simplex Both are spring moths, showing up around the same time, flying Mar-June. So what traits are diagnostic? Perhaps 9 times out…
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Orthosia
Orthosia are a common genus of noctuid found worldwide with over 50 species, 9 of which have been recorded here in BC. They’re one of the earliest noctuids I see here on Bowen Island each year, and after the moth-bereft winter months it’s always a joy to see them again. This year (2024) was no…
