Western Carpet Moth
Melanolophia imitata
33.1468, -117.009
Field Notes
Description:
Gray moth with gray eyes and brown and black markings.
Habitat:
Trunk of unknown tree
Notes:
Aka Greenstriped Forest Looper. "Few people realize that the voracious hornworm, looper and armyworm caterpillars that defoliate desert wildflowers, crop plants and garden vegetables, eventually become nectar-feeding adult moths that render important pollination services to many of the same plants. Moth pollination is more prevalent in the Southwest than in other regions of North America, largely due to warm evenings, favorable climate, and proximity to the moth-rich canyons and thorn- scrub of northern Mexico. " - DesertMuseum.org
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