Saturday, August 20, 2011

SNAZZY, SURPRISING MOTH!




Quick! What's orange and black and tan and metallic with sea-blue highlights?

Hey, look for yourself! I'm not making this up. Check out the post pix. See, orange and black and tan and metallic with sea-blue highlights…and no, it's NOT a beetle, but a moth. That's right—moth! Unlike most moths which keep their wings outspread when resting or feeding, this one with the fancy paint job—the Ailanthus Webworm Moth, Atteva aurea—keeps its wings rolled tightly against its body. 

The Ailanthus Webworm Moths are part of a family known as "ermine moths," most of which  are found in the tropics. Ermine moths build communal web nests for their larvae.  

Originally native to South and Central America, and possibly south-Florida (various texts disagree on this point), the Ailanthus Webworm Moth was once found only concurrent to the historic habitat range of its larval host plant, Simarouba glauca—commonly known as Paradise Tree. When another, quite similar tree species, Ailanthus altissima, or Tree-of-Heaven was imported as part of the attempt to get a silk industry started in the U.S., the webworm jumped hosts. It is from this newer host plant that the moth received its common name. 

Though the American silk-making business fizzled, the Ailanthus tree quickly became popular with gardeners and lanscape nurseries because it was flowering, fast-growing and undemanding, thriving in wastelands and disturbed areas, and amid the exhaust-fumes miasma of a big city. This is the tree famously referred to in the best-selling book by Betty Smith, A Tree Grow in Brooklyn. As Ailanthus trees spread their way across the continent, so did the Ailanthus Webworm Moth. 

[As it turned out, Ailanthus trees spread too well, soon becoming invasive in many areas and earning the derisive nicknames, "ghetto palm," and "tree-from-hell." Moreover, it's habit of putting out root suckers broke up foundations, roads, sewer pipes and other underground lines, and sidewalks. Too, much like a walnut, the Ailanthus tree puts out a natural chemical herbicide, ailanthone, that inhibits growth in nearby plants, thus helping the Ailanthus to thrive. Finally, those pretty yellow flowers smelled like male cat urine, prompting the unflattering but honest epithet, "stink tree."]

Ailanthus Webworm Moths are ecologically harmless, and actually serve as a beneficial pollinator as they go about visiting and feeding on various plants. Most moths seen in the northern states probably don't manage to overwinter, though a new generation migrates in from the south each summer. 


Incidentally, the only reason I know a little bit about these bright-colored creatures, and was able to recognize them when I recently spotted several feeding on a clump of boneset, was that a year or so ago, my friend George, of the splendid Transit Notes, posted a bug photo he'd made which he hoped some reader could help identify. I had no idea, either, but I liked the photo and the crazy-patterned look and gaudy colors, and decided to make it a sort of mini-mission to figure the puzzle out. It took me about an hour and looking at a lot of possibilities—I started out thinking beetle—before I stumbled in the right direction and managed the identity. But once seen, it's not a creature you soon forget. 
———————

15 comments:

Wanda..... said...

Your 'snazzy' moth really likes the Virginia Mountain Mint and Blue Mistflower in our field too.

giggles said...

Huh!!! I saw these earlier this summer on milkweed plants....and was too lazy to look them up. Now I want to know what the moth looks like!!! Thanks!

giggles said...

When it spreads its wings, I mean!!!!

Robin said...

Interesting.

Living in the city I never minded the tree-of-heaven because it WOULD grow anywhere.... like through an asphalt crack in an alley. I did know that it wasn't well loved and why.... but I read somewhere that it came over via some asian population who had immigrated somewhere without a lot of trees... and wanted the shade. Your explanation is much better.

I've never seen it bloom... didn't know it did. And by the way, the perennial Salvia smells like cat urine to me. Between how nasty it looks when the blooms fade and the smell, I'd never have one in the garden.

The moth is beautiful. Thanks for the information.

Grizz………… said...

Wanda…

Your blue mint flower would have made a better backdrop for the photo. I'm think the bloom in the pix is one of the bonesets. From what I know about this critter, it's a generalist when it comes to feeding…but a useful pollinator along the way.

Grizz………… said...

GigglesX2…

Okay, I'm going to make a confession here which does not make me seem the most preceptive observer on the block. After making these pix, as I was uploading them onto the computer, several thoughts slowly appeared in my heat-addled brain. They came floating up out of the murky depths, like a herd of turtles surfacing in a pond.

I wonder what this moth looks like with its wings unfurled?

I wonder why I didn't watch and take pictures?

You see, I know those feding Ailanthus Webworm Moths moved from flower to flower while I was making pictures…but I swear I don't have a clue how they made it happen.

I didn't see a single flapping moth wing. Don't think they hopped like grasshoppers or took the bus. Never heard little tiny voices saying, "Beam me up, Scotty."

So, the shameful fact is, I must have stood right there as they shuffled around, and never once noticed a single moth in flight coming or going, or saw an opened wing…and I certainly never took a pix.

Some naturalist/photographer, huh?

Grizz………… said...

Robin…

I kinda like the trees myself. And as for its place in cities, I say be glad and rejoice for any green things willing to grow in such a grimy, oxygen-befouled, concrete and steel monoscape. As for it smelling like cat urine…really, in some cities, can you actually notice?

On the other hand, it can be and is, quite invasive. I've seen rural areas in Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia where Ailanthus trees have all but taken over entire hillsides. It's prettier than Kudzu, but nearly as aggressive. And an Ailanthus tree can grow 4 feet a year for the first several years and top out at close to 50 feet. I'm thinking that would be one smelly woods!

But…I still kinda like the trees. You gotta like such a survivor.

Gail said...

HI GRIZZ - I learned lot from you today about moths, and types of moths and your pictures are so beautiful. I love visual teaching. Oh i know I am a bit of a "cut up" in class, always was - got lots of detentions because of it too. :-) which I "cut up" in as well. :-) I am a rebel/rascal at heart.
Love you
Gail
peace.......

Grizz………… said...

Gail…

I know all about the price for cutting up in school—detentions, paddlings, having parents called, being sent to the principal's office…or home, an occasional cussing (yes, by a teacher; I learned some excellent words), and sundry other punishments meant to set me on the road to conformity. None of which, of course, worked, but only encouraged me to cut up more. Which I still do, everywhere, about everything, should the mood strike. Life is too shot not to cut up and have fun…

George said...

Hello, Grizz! Having just completed my walk of the Hadrian's Wall path, I returned to London today and decided to pop online for a few minutes and check out my favorite blogs. Low and behold, I find that the famed Allanthus webworm moth has returned for an encore appearance. As the man who solved this mystery for me last year, you certainly deserved the visit of this regally robed creature.

I was honored to be joined for four days of my walk by none other that Robert, "The Solitary Walker." We were also joined for a couple of days by Dominic Rivron, whose blog is "Made Out of Words." I will be writing about the experience in a future blog. Durning the meantime, be well and, by all means, keep clicking the shutter and putting pen to paper (quaint language I suppose for and age in which shutter-clicking and pen-pushing have been elcipsed by new age technology).

Gail said...

HI BRIZZ - oh boy, from one "cut up" to another I so hear ya. We got hit in grammar school too. I think our principal was a pervert tho. If what he did then was done now there would be arrests made!! He used a strap on kids, and I got it a few times. Me and Dennis, my friend, my dear, dear friend. We were always in trouble. Oh such memories. I guess I didn't learn anything since I still "cut up" :-) heehee
Love you
Gail
peace.....

The Weaver of Grass said...

Isn't nature fantastic Grizz - you couldn't make up a pattern like that if you tried, could you. Absolutely exquisite, although I have a phobia about moths!

Did you know that George has been in England walking Hadrian's wall and that Robert (Solitary Walker) and my son (Dominic Rivron) have both been up to walk with him for a few days?

Ah the power of blogland, eh?

Grizz………… said...

George…

What a grand adventure you surely had…and one I'd give a lot to have shared. I can't think of better companions for the journey, either. I'm looking forward to reading your future posts with, I presume, photos.

Indeed, the snazzy Ailanthus webworm moth found its way onto the pages of Riverdaze…and because of your post last year, I already knew what it was when I encountered them in the field. Moreover, I have since spotted several in my zinnias, which shouldn't be surprising seeing as how I have an Ailanthus tree growing not 50 feet away, and one of my neighbors has several trees on his property.

I will keep pushing the shutter (no real click) and putting fingers to keyboard—and FYI, since I own several genuine fountain pens, occasionally putting pen to paper. How about that for anachronistic action?

Grizz………… said...

Gail…

Well, I learned about the same—that what God gave, a few swats on the behind couldn't come close to taking away…and God gave me two fun-loving parents, who passed their personalities along. Plus He blessed me to be born Irish, and as a race, there are no more fun-loving, merry cut-ups on on earth than the Irish. He also made me a motormouth, "born talking," as my Mother said, and dangerously quick of wit with a careless disregard for place or propriety. The places from which I've been asked to shut up, settle down, or leave is too long to list—though school wasn't one of them (not leave, anyway; shut up and settle down, yes, often.) So I guess I also learned that a lot of folks just take themselves way too seriously and are simply no fun to be around.

Grizz………… said...

Weaver…

The world of insects produces some of the most amazing, colorful, and bizarre creatures around, and in staggering numbers. There's just no way to learn more than a fraction of the things out there.

No, I didn't know about their walk until George commented on this post. Sounds like a dandy adventure, and I'm envious as all get out! :-) They'll have to make it up to us with some fantastic posts on their respective blogs which, among that trio, shouldn't be asking too much.