Insect of the week (May 5, 2025)
Our insect of the week is Feniseca tarquinius (Fabricius, 1793). [LEPIDOPTERA: Lycaenidae] This is a most interesting butterfly. Commonly called the harvester butterfly, it is the only carnivorous butterfly in North America. Larvae feed on various species of aphids....
April, 2025 Field Trip
We held our April meeting/ field trip at Merwin Nature Preserve in McLean County (Illinois). This nature preserve is located near the town of Lexington. The Mackinaw River flows through the preserve. We arrived at the preserv about 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 19....
Insect of the week (April 28, 2025)
Our insect of the week for April 28, 2025 is the promethea silkworm moth, Callosamia promethea [LEPIDOPTERA: Saturniidae]. It is also known as the spicebush silkmoth because caterpillars prefer to eat the leaves of spicebush. You often see cocoons hanging from host...
Insect of the week (April 21, 2025)
Our insect of the week for April 21, 2025 is the snowberry clearwing moth, Hemaris diffinis [LEPIDOPTERA: Sphingidae]. It is so names because adults lose the majority of scales on their wings shortly after they emerge from the pupal stage due to their very active...
Insect of the week (April 14, 2025)
Our insect of the week for April 14, 2025 is the luna moth, Actias luna [LEPIDOPTERA: Saturniidae]. This is one of the larger moths in North America. Adults have been observed in central Illinois as early as late April (which is why we are discussing them now). As a...
Insect of the week (April 7, 2025)
Our insect of the week for April 7, 2025 is the eight-spotted forester moth, Alypia octomaculata [LEPIDOPTERA: Noctuidae]. It can be found throughout eastern North America. These are often encountered in where open areas meet woodlands. Adults are often active during...
Insect of the week (March 31, 2025)
Our insect of the week (March 31, 2025) is the owlfly, Ululodes macleayanus [NEUROPTERA: Ascalaphidae]. This species was first described in 1823. It is found in North, Central, and South America. Adults are easily recognized by their knobbed antennae and bulging eyes....
Insect of the week (March 24, 2025)
Our insect of the week for March 24, 2025 is the summer fishfly. [FYI – if the common name of an insect does not have a space before the word fly, it is not an actual fly, order Diptera. This example is in the order Megaloptera.] This species has a wide...
March, 2025 Meeting Notes
Our March meeting was a field trip to Funk’s Prairie Home Museum and Mineral Museum (south of Bloomington, Illinois). We also met some blacksmiths working on various projects at the Sugar Grove Nature Center. Many thanks to Mr. Bill Case for opening the museum...
Peoria approximella (a moth named in New York for Peoria, IL). Photo of Michigan specimen courtesy Jim Vargo (used with permission).