Windwolf
Crex Meadows Moths... Nevada Buckmoth
Nevada Buckmoth
Hemileuca nevadensis
Wing span: 2 - 2 1/2 inches (5 - 7 cm).
Caterpillar hosts: Willow and Cottonwood.
Eggs are in circular groups on host plant.
One brood late in summer. September, October.
Habitat: Riparian zones and areas with high groundwater.
The photo on the right was taken of an individual near the top of a willow branch on the edge of the dike. Several moths were perched like this on various sedge grasses over the waters of the dike area.
Many of these moths were coming over the waters this day. We saw them flying all over the meadows starting in early afternoon.
This picture shows the antenna as Bipectinate: Resembling a feather. Also called pinnate or plumose. Not all Nevada Buckmoths photographed had this type of antenna, some were a red color and had much smaller (if any) plumes. This may be a male/female distinction, or we had more than one type of buckmoth.
Pictures taken September 24, 2008
The photo on the left is a female who came in to lay her eggs. She crawled along the ground until finding the host plant. It was difficult to get a shot of the wings without obstructions such as twigs and branches blocking portions of the wings.
The picture to the right is two different shots of the anntena of the female (above) which was laying eggs. There is a big difference between the antenna of the two moths above.
The picture to the left is the female who was egg laying as she perched on the twig which would host her eggs.
Limited information on the www indicates there is another possible species of Buckmoth, common name is Midwestern Fen Buckmoth. I have been unable to locate a species description for this uncommon type and became aware of its possibility via a suggestion at bugguide.net referring to a Great Lakes species of Buckmoth.
The picture to the right is the egg laying occurring. The female would lay an egg on one side of the twig, then the next egg would be laid on the opposite side of the twig until a circle was completed.
The egg would be this darker orangey color when first laid. It would turn white within 20-30 seconds of the egg being deposited on the willows base.
After the female moth finished a circle of eggs, she would feel around with the tip of her abdomen on the opposite side of the willow twig for an empty spot. She would then start a new circle above or below a completed circle.
| Kingdom | Animalia | (Animals) |
| Phylum | Arthropoda | (Arthropods) |
| Superclass | Hexapoda | (Hexapods) |
| Class | Insecta | (Insects) |
| Subclass | Pterygota | (Winged Insects) |
| Order | Lepidoptera | (Butterflies and Moths) |
| Superfamily | Bombycoidea | |
| Family | Saturniidae | (Giant Silkworm and Royal Moths) |
| Subfamily | Hemileucinae | (Buck and Io Moths) |
| Tribe | Hemileucini | |
| Genus | Hemileuca | |
| Species | nevadensis | (Nevada Buck Moth) |