YELLOW-STRIPED ARMYWORM, FALL ARMYWORM, BRISTLY CUTWORM, Yellow-spotted Brocade, VARIABLE NARROW-WING, OBTUSE SEDGE BORER, and The Thinker
Yellow-striped Armyworm moth, a very common species in our area.
Bristly Cutworm moth. These moths have faint lime-green spots on their wings (sometimes faded).
Variable Narrow-wing moth. This species typically lives further to our south. They are rare to uncommon migrants in Ohio. This individual is the only one I have ever seen. Photographed November 7, 2016.
Another Yellow-striped Armyworm moth. I have found this species every month from April through November, but they are more common in late summer and fall.
Fall Armyworm moth. I find these moths from July through November.
Another Fall Armyworm moth. This species is considered a pest. Their larvae eat corn and many other plants.
Another Bristly Cutworm. Very common at my moth lights from May through October.
This Yellow-striped Armyworm (same individual as above) was exceptionally colorful and beautiful. It came to my moth lights on July 30, 2023.
Another Yellow-striped Armyworm, not as colorful as the individuals above. These moths are variable. Their larvae eat a wide variety of plants.
Obtuse Sedge Borer moth. This is another uncommon species across its range. I have found two individuals at my lights (October 4, 2023, and August 1, 2024). Both moths were rather worn and not in great condition, but the pattern is fairly distinctive.
The Thinker Moth. These moths are variable, but many of them are washed-out and pinkish-gray, like this individual. I found a couple of these moths at my lights in September 2024.
This moth is a Yellow-spotted Brocade (Oligia chlorostigma). Despite the name, the spots look more greenish rather than yellow to me. I found a couple of individuals at my lights in June 2024. Apparently, this species is somewhat uncommon.
