Wandering Adventure Party

For my first “real” post I’d like to share this absolutely INCREDIBLE moth I found on campus a few days back. This is *Cosmosoma myrodora*, the Scarlet Bodied Wasp Moth. This striking moth is native to the southeastern US and is named because its appearance is believed to be mimicry of wasps— If I had to guess, likely a Polistidae species. This moth is a tiger moth (Arctiini) in the family Erebidae, much like the Salt Marsh Moth (*Estigmine acrea*) that is also native to Galveston, though I don’t think anyone is at high risk of confusing the two as they look very different. *C. myrodora* larva feed on *Mikania* genus plants called hempvines. Unless I’m mistaken, there’s an absolutely massive hempvine by the parking lot on campus. Maybe I’ll pop over there and see if I can find some larvae or pupae.Sources: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/217647-Cosmosoma-myrodorahttps://www.lsuagcenter.com/~/media/system/3/f/5/c/3f5cfb9d3e2ea5c70320e1f7b390218b/3740%20scarlet%20bodied%20wasp%20mothpdf.pdfhttps://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/IN996#insect #insects #moth #moths #nature #bugs #photo #texas #scicomm #entomology

Is there an entomologist in the house?I would like to know if this is an ordinary #silverfish or a paper silverfish.#Entomology #insect

@stevenlawson During our recent vacation in the #Verona area, my father made me take pictures of every interesting insect we came across.

Naturalists are predominantly elderly. Is this because they were socialised as children in a time when there was a greater abundance and variety of wildlife and were more free to roam or is it simply that in retirement they have time to let their interest flower?If the former, we are in danger of seeing a collapse in data gathering for anything other than birds and butterflies, putting the natural world in greater danger.If it is just a stage of life thing, there will be steady replacement and data will continue to flow.Any thoughts?#insects #entomology #biodiversity #birds #wildlife