Montana Moth Project

The Montana Moth Project's fantastic and dedicated Billings-based volunteer crew recently completed its May sampling effort at the Montana Audubon Center. This enthusiastic group is conducting once-a-month sampling for the MMP on the Center's grounds near the Yellowstone River, south of Billings.

The MAC sits in a unique restoration habitat; a 54-acre former gravel pit-turned-wildlife habitat and outdoor classroom. The site includes three ponds for scientific research and exploration and connects to the Billings' growing greenbelt trail system in addition to providing access to a pair of public parks located on the banks of the Yellowstone, the longest free-flowing river in the lower 48!

Our team began sampling in April when it was still quite cold at night. Although we didn't catch many moths, one of the few we did collect in our traps was Rhyacionia neomexicana. This species observation is likely a state and county record but not because it is a rare or uncommon moth. Rather, such a record illustrates 1) how few moths surveys have been done in Montana 2) how few have been conducted in this part of the state and 3) the contributory impact that citizen science can have in documenting the natural world.

Our May sampling at the Center was even more exciting. We encountered a fabulous diversity of moths at the Mercury vapor-lighted sheet, including a couple of gorgeous sphingids (the Vashti's sphinx and the one-eyed sphinx) and host of lappets (Phylodesma sp.), which are just adorable in their leafy, compactness. We were also thrilled to see Bellura obliqua, the cattail borer. What a sleek and sexy beauty; like vintage fabric, lux and lovely in hues of faded peach and dusty rose. But, without doubt, the star of the night was the single Xylena nupera (American Swordgrass moth) that flew into the folds of our sheet. We had never seen anything like it! It's resemblance to a broken stick is uncanny. As soon as I picked up the moth, it tucked its legs and curled its wings around itself causing the creature to roll, just like a twig. As one of our volunteers noted, its face even looks widdled or carved, like the sharpened end of a pencil.

Interestingly, the assemblage we observed at the MV sheet was not repeated in the UV traps, which contained some gorgeous prominent and furcula moths as well as several striking Morrisonia evicta.

Our group is quickly falling in love with these creatures and their seemingly endless array of form, function and color. We can't wait for June! menos ↑