It hasn’t been a great start to the National Moth Week in SW Calgary.  Thunderstorms prevented me from putting the light trap out last night and even caused me to retrieve my bait trap!  The weather prospects for tonight do not look great either, although, I do plan to put the bait trap out.  There were 35 macro moths of 20 species in the light and bait traps on the 22nd July. 6 where new for the year and included 1 new backyard species, a Sordid Wainscot (Hypocoena inquinata).  This is a small moth with stubby wings.  Due to the lack of photographs I’ve included 3 pictures of moths that I took on my recent vacation to British Columbia.  Two of these illustrate different forms of  the Brother Moth (Raphia frater).  I think these were, until fairly recently, treated as separate species but DNA analysis supports the view that they are, in fact, a single species.  The other Okanagan Noctuid is the Zebra Caterpillar Moth (Melanchra picta).  I like the markings on this moth which to me looks quite exotic.  It is certainly a new species for me.  The following were the new backyard species for the 22nd.

Horisme incana (Horisme incana)
Satin Moth (Leucoma salicis)
Tufted Snout Moth (Phalaenostola metonalis)
Apamea alia (Apamea alia)
Sordid Wainscot (Hypocoena inquinata)
Broad-lined Sallow (Sympistis dinalda)