I dropped off Denton at camp on Saturday - he'll be gone for seven weeks, with George joining him for the last three. He seemed excited, and unlikely to miss us in the slightest.
Picture is of the two of them playing in the cub area before George and I left.
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I have some backlog of moth photos to post. Last night I camped at Pine Haven, and set out the moth light down by the river. Caught in the bucket was this fresh, perfect and cooperative sphinx moth. I've caught them before, but often worn and tattered - it's a Blinded Sphinx (Paonias excaecata). Wentworth NH, 6/26/2016.
Another moth from last weekend's trip; this one is Small Phoenix (Ecliptopera silaceata), among the moths caught in the funnel trap below my light. 5/28/2016, Wentworth NH.
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There was more than one of these large moths, perched with wings furled, and tilted to odd angles, on the bathroom wall when I got to Pine Haven on Friday evening. I think they are Kent's geometer (Selenia kentaria). None were to be seen the next day. Wentworth NH, 2016/05/27.
I had two different emeralds on the recent outing; I think the white spot on the abdomen makes this White-Fringed Emerald (Nemoria mimosaria). Wentworth NH, 2016/05/28.
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I took the kids up to Pine Haven (Wentworth NH) for "the usual" on the holiday weekend. After some moth-light drama (purchasing a replacement battery charger for the big 12V battery) I got that set up Friday and Saturday nights. Pictures from that will be forthcoming, but the bucket was less impressively successful than before, largely due to large June beetles disturbing the contents, and, the second night, me choosing a bad location where a breeze kicked up around dawn and sent the sheet snapping like a flag.
Saturday was hot and muggy, and we stayed around the campground; Sunday Linda and I abandoned the kids with Chris and went to climb Rattlesnake Mountain in Holderness (NB: there is more than one Rattlesnake Mountain). It was busy up there, with parking being hard to find at the trailhead, and a fair number of people on the trail, but a very nice view for an easy hike. Minnie wearing a small dog knapsack got a lot of friendly comments.
The flower shown is fringed polygala (Polygala paucifolia), and it was quite abundant (and until now unknown to us). The cell phone camera doesn't do it justice - it's quite a strong shade of magenta.
This is Meal Moth (Pyralis farinalis), apparently an indoor pest species. Found in my kitchen (Somerville MA) on 5/9/2016.
Monty's first reaction was to say that they're common, but I couldn't recall seeing one before, so here it is to jog my memory.
Found indoors at home this morning, this seems to be a Bee Moth (Aphomia sociella). 4/29/2016, Somerville MA.
Spotted roosting on our recycling bin today - Mourning Cloak butterfly (Nymphalis antiopa); Somerville MA, 2016/04/28.
The kids had a snow day two weeks ago, and this is how it went for the small dog.
