This is a Yellow-Collared Scape Moth that has been preserved in my freezer since last summer. I keep them in a pill bottle with a mothball at the bottom and a bit of paper towel for it to rest on. I pulled it out to check on it and to stage it for a focus stacking session while I had it out.
Although the name suggests yellow, the collar of the Yellow-collared Scape Moth is actually more orange in color. The jet-black wings are opaque and may reflect shades of blue in sunlight which makes them look iridescent at times.
The adults feed on nectar from flowers like goldenrod, asters, milkweed, and blazing star and they are quite common in our area. They are busy feeders and they visit a variety of flowers in a single day making them great pollinators so they play an important part in the balance of nature. As caterpillars, they eat grass, sedge, rushes, and even lichens. The adults are active throughout the summer and into fall and I find them in fields and at the edges of woods which are my favorite areas to search for specimens when out with camera in hand.
Definitely a sci-fi look, Gary. Thanks for sharing.
I am just in aww of how you guys do these...just amazing!
CindyHouk wrote:
I am just in aww of how you guys do these...just amazing!
Thanks, CindyHouk. I use a 5X-power microscope objective mounted on a bellows as the lens of the camera so it allows me to see and share views that could not be seen with the unaided eye. This image is comprised of a stack of 312 images taken which were then processed in a dedicated focus stacking program to make this image.
UTMike wrote:
Definitely a sci-fi look, Gary. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks, UTMike. I appreciate your stopping by.
I-fox, thanks for the feedback.
Man! What an UGLY bug! Nice work.
Retired CPO wrote:
Man! What an UGLY bug! Nice work.
Thanks, Retired CPO. I appreciate your viewing and reply.
Curmudgeon wrote:
Beautiful as usual Sippy
Thanks, Curmudgeon. This is one of those that I preserve in the freezer.
sippyjug104 wrote:
This is a Yellow-Collared Scape Moth that has been preserved in my freezer since last summer. I keep them in a pill bottle with a mothball at the bottom and a bit of paper towel for it to rest on. I pulled it out to check on it and to stage it for a focus stacking session while I had it out.
Although the name suggests yellow, the collar of the Yellow-collared Scape Moth is actually more orange in color. The jet-black wings are opaque and may reflect shades of blue in sunlight which makes them look iridescent at times.
The adults feed on nectar from flowers like goldenrod, asters, milkweed, and blazing star and they are quite common in our area. They are busy feeders and they visit a variety of flowers in a single day making them great pollinators so they play an important part in the balance of nature. As caterpillars, they eat grass, sedge, rushes, and even lichens. The adults are active throughout the summer and into fall and I find them in fields and at the edges of woods which are my favorite areas to search for specimens when out with camera in hand.
This is a Yellow-Collared Scape Moth that has been... (
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Beautiful image!!!!
For such an ugly creature
Beautiful! The combs on the antennae and many of the "hairs" appear to have rounded tips. Maybe it's just me, but I expected sharper-looking tips. Thanks for sharing the details of this magnificent creature. From your description of the procedure, it was no small task, either.
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