www.connecticutmoths.com

All photos on this site are the property of John Himmelman. Unless stated otherwise, they have been taken in my yard in Killingworth, CT.

Virgin Tiger Moth

Grammia virgo

July 21, 2008

I was mowing the lawn yesterday morning and out popped this moth from a patch of weeds I was skirting.  I grabbed my camera for a shot and squeezed off two before it took off again.  You can see the right wing starting to get warmed up for flight.

While I can fully understand this individual being called a Virgin Tiger Moth, but what confuses me is it is the offspring of two Virgin Tiger Moths.  Perhaps upon mating they become Fallen Virgin Tiger Moths.

Here it is a second before take off, putting it 

   in a good position to show those beautiful

     hind wings.