Moths of Northeastern North Dakota and Northwestern Minnesota
Carl D. Barrentine, Grand Forks, North Dakota
Etched on the moth’s wings / the story of a man’s life / powder to the touch
Nicholas Christopher, American poet
This resource provides living images of more than almost 550 species of moths found in the Red River Valley of North Dakota and Minnesota (principally Grand Forks and Polk Counties, 2011-13). We may have as many as 2,200 species of moths in North Dakota, just a portion of the estimated 12-15,000 moth species in North America, so my local list of moths is not comprehensive–it’s merely introductory.
This online guide is pedagogically designed as a introductory learning tool for those who wish to identity of our local moths. The arrangement of moth images in this resource follows the taxonomical order found in the first edition (2012) of the Peterson Field Guide to Moths of Northeastern North America, by David Beadle and Seabrooke Leckie (http://www.amazon.com/Peterson-Field-Northeastern-America-Guides/dp/0547238487/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1396916993&sr=8-3&keywords=david+beadle).
Most, but not all, of our common local moth species can be found in the Peterson Field Guide. Living and preserved images of all our common local moth species can be found in the more comprehensive Moth Photographers Group (http://mothphotographersgroup.msstate.edu/), an online resource dedicated to archiving images of all North American moth fauna.
In addition to referencing relevant page numbers to moth images found the Peterson Field Guide, this 40-part pedagogical resource also provides online links to taxonomically relevant portions of the Moth Photographers Group. It is essential to become familiar with both of these useful resources if you are planning to identify our local moths.
To learn more about the identification of moths, consider subscribing to these three wonderful Facebook resources: ‘Mothing and Moth-Watching’ (https://www.facebook.com/groups/137219092972521/ ), ‘Moths of the Eastern North America’ (https://www.facebook.com/groups/mothsofeasternnorthamerica/ ), and ‘Moths of Canada’ (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Moths-of-Canada/186787638064357).
Finally, to learn more about the many Moths of North Dakota, you are strongly encouraged visit Dr. Jerry Fauske’s informative website (https://www.ndsu.edu/pubweb/~gefauske/ndmoths/home.htm). Jerry is our expert on North Dakota moths.
One more thing. Have you heard about National Moth Week? Click here to learn more: http://nationalmothweek.org/
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Learning Local Moths: Begin here by scrolling through these images.
1) See pages 27-59, Peterson Field Guide– Ghost Moths and Assorted Micromoths (18 genera, 22 species)
https://dakotanaturalist.com/2014/04/01/our-local-living-fossil-and-some-micromoths/
2) See pages 61-69 – Twirler Moths (7-8 genera, 10-11 species)
https://dakotanaturalist.com/2014/03/30/twirler-moths-family-gelechiidae/
3) See pages 85-89 – Tortrix Leafroller Moths (1 genus, 7-11 species)
https://dakotanaturalist.com/2014/03/02/our-local-acleris-a-consternating-genus/
4) See pages 90-95 – Cochylid Moths (5 genera, 8 species)
https://dakotanaturalist.com/2014/03/31/local-cochylid-moths-tribe-cochylini/
5) See pages 97-102 – Archips Leafroller Moths (8 genera, 16 species)
https://dakotanaturalist.com/2014/03/09/common-local-archips-leafrollers-tribe-archipini/
6) See pages 103-107 – Sparganothid Leafrollers Moths (3 genera, 4 species)
https://dakotanaturalist.com/2014/04/03/local-sparganothid-leafroller-moths/
7) See pages 107-125 – Olethreutine Moths (15 general, 38-40 species)
https://dakotanaturalist.com/2014/04/01/local-olethreutine-moths-subfamily-olethreutinae/
8) See pages 125-131 – Plume and Many-Plume Moths (8 genera, 8 species)
https://dakotanaturalist.com/2014/04/03/local-plume-and-many-plumed-moths/
9) See pages 133-147 – Pyralids (26 genera, 33-35 species)
https://dakotanaturalist.com/2014/04/01/local-thyatirid-and-scoopwing-moths/
10) See pages 147-151 – Crambus Grass-veneer Moths (1 genus, 10-11 species)
https://dakotanaturalist.com/2014/03/07/our-local-crambus-the-grass-veneer-moths/
11) See pages 147; 151-165 – Non-Crambus Grass-Veneers, Donacaulas, Aquatic Crambids, and Assorted Crambid Moths (16 genera, 19-21 species)
https://dakotanaturalist.com/2014/04/01/local-crambid-moths-family-crambidae/
12) See pages 165-175 – Pyraustine Moths (15 genera, 20 species)
https://dakotanaturalist.com/2014/03/21/local-pyraustine-moths-subfamily-pyraustinae/
13) See pages 177-179 – Thyatirids and Scoopwing Moths (3 genera, 3 species)
https://dakotanaturalist.com/2014/04/01/local-thyatirid-and-scoopwing-moths/
14) See pages 181-199 – Carpet and Pug Moths (14 genera, 16 species)
https://dakotanaturalist.com/2014/03/08/local-carpets-and-pugs-subfamily-larentiinae/
15) See pages 199-207 – Wave and Emerald Moths (5 genera, 9 species)
https://dakotanaturalist.com/2014/03/31/local-wave-and-emerald-moths-family-geometridae/
16) See pages 209-245 – Typical Geometers (31 genera, 38-39 species)
https://dakotanaturalist.com/2014/03/31/typical-geometer-moths-subfamily-ennominae/
17) See pages 247-249 – Tent Caterpillar and Lappet Moths (3 genera, 4 species)
https://dakotanaturalist.com/2014/03/21/local-tent-caterpillar-and-lappet-moths/
18) See pages 255-269 – Giant Silkworm and Sphinx Moths (9 genera, 13 species)
https://dakotanaturalist.com/2014/03/02/larger-moths-saturniidae-and-sphingidae/
19) See pages 271-287 – Prominent Moths (11 genera, 14 species)
https://dakotanaturalist.com/2014/03/09/common-prominents-family-notodontidae/
20) See pages 293-295 – Lichen Moths (3 genera, 5 species)
https://dakotanaturalist.com/2014/03/14/local-lichen-moths-tribe-lithosiini/
21) See pages 295-309 – Tiger Moths (14 genera, 18 species)
https://dakotanaturalist.com/2014/03/14/common-local-tiger-moths-subfamily-arctiinae/
22) See pages 311-321 – Litter Moths (6 genera, 14 species)
https://dakotanaturalist.com/2014/03/12/local-litter-moths-subfamily-herminiinae/
23) See pages 323-327 – Snout Moths (1 genus, 4 species)
https://dakotanaturalist.com/2014/03/22/local-snout-moths-subfamily-hypeninae/
24) See pages 327-363 – Underwings, Zales and Related Owlet Moths (5 genera, 12 species)
https://dakotanaturalist.com/2014/03/22/underwings-zales-and-related-owlets/
25) See pages 369-373 – Nola and Baileya Moths (3 genera, 3-4 species)
https://dakotanaturalist.com/2014/03/31/nola-moths-family-nolidae/
26) See pages 375-383 – Looper Moths (10 genera, 15 species)
https://dakotanaturalist.com/2014/03/07/our-local-loopers-subfamily-plusiinae/
27) See pages 385-393 – Glyphs, Bird-Dropping, Zigzag and Brother Moths (5 genera, 7 species)
https://dakotanaturalist.com/2014/04/07/local-glyphs-bird-dropping-moths-pantheas-and-brothers/
28) See pages 395-407 – Dagger Moths (3 genera, 12-14 species)
https://dakotanaturalist.com/2014/03/15/common-local-daggers-subfamily-acronictinae/
29) See pages 407-409 – Hooded Owlet Moths (1 genus, 4 species)
https://dakotanaturalist.com/2014/03/21/local-hooded-owlets-subfamily-cuculliinae/
30) See pages 409-415 – Amphipyrine Sallows (4 genera, 5 species)
https://dakotanaturalist.com/2014/03/23/local-amphipyrine-sallows-subfamily-amphipyrinae/
31) See pages 415-423 – Oncocnemidine Sallows, Wood-Nymphs, and Groundlings (5 genera, 8 species)
https://dakotanaturalist.com/2014/03/28/oncocnemidine-sallows-groundlings-and-wood-nymphs/
32) See pages 423-427 – Flower Moths (4 genera, 7 species)
https://dakotanaturalist.com/2014/03/12/common-flower-moths-subfamily-heliothinae/
33) See pages 429-439 – Phosphilas, Armyworms, Midgets, Rustics, Mirandas, and Angle Shades (7 genera, 8 species)
https://dakotanaturalist.com/2014/03/31/some-assorted-local-noctuids/
34) See pages 441-461 – Apameas, Brocades, and Borer Moths (12 genera, 28 species)
https://dakotanaturalist.com/2014/03/21/local-apamea-brocade-and-borer-moths/
35) See pages 463 and 471-481– Swordgrass Moths and Xylenine Sallows (15 genera, 19 species)
https://dakotanaturalist.com/2014/03/22/local-swordgrass-and-xylenine-sallows/
36) See pages 465-469 – Lithophane Pinion Moths (1 genus, 8-12 species)
https://dakotanaturalist.com/2014/02/27/our-local-lithophane-a-fascinating-genus/
37) See pages 481-493 – Spring Quakers, Woodlings, Woodgrains, and Large Arches Moths (14 genera, 16 species)
https://dakotanaturalist.com/2014/03/09/spring-quakers-woodlings-woodgrains-and-arches/
38) See pages 495-499 – Wainscot Moths (3 genera, 5-6 species)
https://dakotanaturalist.com/2014/03/29/local-wainscot-moths-tribe-leucaniini/
39) See pages 499-507 – Small Arches and Summer Quaker Moths (3 genera, 6 species)
https://dakotanaturalist.com/2014/04/07/local-small-arches-and-summer-quaker-moths/
40) See pages 507-527 – Dart Moths (14 genera, 26-27 species)
https://dakotanaturalist.com/2014/03/13/common-darts-subfamily-noctuinae-tribe-noctuini/
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