Moths of Greater Austin, TX's Journal

Looking for National Moth Week activities in the central Texas area during Jul 20-28? Please join Wendy Anderson (@wendelia), Jack Cochran (@jcochran706), and Curtis Eckerman (@cmeckerman) for the public events listed below.

Light and sheet stations will be operating at dark to attract nocturnal insects, including moths. While sunset is around 830 PM during the week, we recommend showing up before dark to explore the various sites and to locate the light stations. If you have your own battery-powered light station for attracting moths, we’ll help you find a place to set it up.

Bring your camera, camera flash, flashlight, headlamp, UV flashlight, chair, snacks, drinks - including plenty of water for good hydration in hot weather. Wear dark clothing so bugs will land on light sheets and not you!

Monday, July 22
Concordia University
11400 Concordia University Dr, Austin, TX
Park in Main Parking Lot (C), Walk to Building F (moth event)
https://www.concordia.edu/resources/uploads/CampusMap.pdf

Wednesday, July 24
Red Bluff Nature Preserve
5607 Harold Ct, Austin, TX
Drive to the end of Harold Ct, street parking, do not block resident driveways/entrances
https://austinparks.org/park/red-bluff-nature-preserve/

Friday, July 26
Roy G Guerrero Colorado River Metro Park
400 Grove Boulevard, Austin, TX
Park near baseball field for moth event
https://austinparks.org/park/roy-g-guerrero-metro-park/

Sunday, July 28
Bastrop State Park
100 Park Road 1A, Bastrop, TX
Moth event near Historic Golf Shelter, parking available, obtain day pass on website
https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/bastrop

Just a note to remind folks that we'll be carrying on tonight with our moth event at Concordia University, in spite of the potential for rain. Fingers crossed that we see some bugs!

Light and sheet stations will be operating at dark to attract nocturnal insects, including moths. Sunset is around 830 PM.

Bring your camera, camera flash, flashlight, headlamp, UV flashlight, chair, snacks, and drinks. Wear dark clothing so bugs will land on light sheets and not you!

Monday, July 22
Concordia University
11400 Concordia University Dr, Austin, TX
Park in Main Parking Lot (C), Walk to Building F (moth event)
https://www.concordia.edu/resources/uploads/CampusMap.pdf

The weather forecast for Travis County tonight, as of 11 AM, suggests no chance of rain after 630 PM (insert laugh here!), so we'll hope to see you at Red Bluff Nature Preserve for our National Moth Week event.

Light and sheet stations will be operating at dark to attract nocturnal insects, including moths. Sunset is around 830 PM.

Bring your camera, camera flash, flashlight, headlamp, UV flashlight, chair, snacks, and drinks. Wear dark clothing so bugs will land on light sheets and not you!

Wednesday, July 24
Red Bluff Nature Preserve
5607 Harold Ct, Austin, TX
Drive to the end of Harold Ct, street parking, do not block resident driveways/entrances
https://austinparks.org/park/red-bluff-nature-preserve/

Only a slight chance of rain tonight in Austin, and the heat and humidity seem to make it quite good for moths, at least based on what I've seen at my house and our first two public National Moth Week events. We'll welcome your attendance at Roy G Guerrero Colorado River Metro Park, where we've always had good nocturnal insect viewing because of the great habitat. See you there.

Light and sheet stations will be operating at dark. Sunset is around 830 PM.

Bring your camera, camera flash, flashlight, headlamp, UV flashlight, chair, snacks, and drinks. Wear dark clothing so bugs will land on light sheets and not you!

Friday, July 26
Roy G Guerrero Colorado River Metro Park
400 Grove Boulevard, Austin, TX
Park near baseball field for moth event
https://austinparks.org/park/roy-g-guerrero-metro-park/

Tonight is our last public event for National Moth Week for 2024! If you haven't joined us for one of our previous events this past week, come have fun at the sheets as we visit Bastrop State Park. This park is very different from other locations in the Greater Austin, TX region due to its unique "lost pines" habitat, a mixture of loblolly pines, post oak, and juniper. The pine trees are an isolated stand from those typically found in east Texas, which can lead to seeing interesting moths that are associated with similar habitat, including those below.

Silver-spotted Fern Moth
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/164680865

Skiff Moth
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/164653285

Southern Pine Coneworm Moth
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/164544067

Gray Retinia Moth
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/164653281

Exoteleia chillcotti
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/159917079

Large Purplish Gray
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/164514392

Holcocera immaculella
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/159932157

Broken-lined Zomaria Moth
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/159857958

Pasture Grass-Veneer
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/159809928

Light and sheet stations will be operating at dark. Sunset is around 830 PM.

Bring your camera, camera flash, flashlight, headlamp, UV flashlight, chair, snacks, and drinks. Wear dark clothing so bugs will land on light sheets and not you!

Sunday, July 28
Bastrop State Park
100 Park Road 1A, Bastrop, TX
Moth event near Historic Golf Shelter, parking available, obtain day pass on website
https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/bastrop

Don't forget to get your Day Pass for the park; you can make the reservation online and print your pass.
https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/reservations/

Recently some of our active moth-ers in the Greater Austin, TX (GATX) region noticed what seemed to be an influx of Polyhymno acaciella arriving at our sheets. I can go back about five years on my house observations not recalling any previous visits from this moth. Fortunately, sharp-eyed Jeff McIntyre (@jeffmci9) cleared up a mystery by pointing out that the moths we're seeing are instead Polyhymno n. sp. 2, which is quite similar to acaciella. And, sp. 2 hasn't been assigned a "real" name yet.

Polyhymno acaciella
http://mothphotographersgroup.msstate.edu/species.php?hodges=2210

Polyhymno n. sp. 2
http://mothphotographersgroup.msstate.edu/species.php?hodges=2211.82

Polyhmno luteostrigella (our common Polyhymno for GATX)
http://mothphotographersgroup.msstate.edu/species.php?hodges=2210

Polyhymno n. sp. 1 (often found in the Lower Rio Grande Valley)
http://mothphotographersgroup.msstate.edu/species.php?hodges=2211.81

Polyhymno n. sp. 3 (a species documented in Arizona)
http://mothphotographersgroup.msstate.edu/species.php?hodges=2211.83

By now, some of you who have encountered Polyhymo n. sp. 2 have noticed that Rich Kostecke (@rkostecke) has done a deep dive on the identifications of this species for observations from the GATX region. He has also authored an excellent Journal Post discussing the appearance and range of the two easily confused Polyhymnos. Please read it here:

https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/rkostecke/97268-polyhymno-acaciella-vs-polyhymno-new-species-2

If you didn’t get enough mothing at your house or one of our previous public events during National Moth Week recently, consider coming to Williamson County’s newest park, River Ranch County Park, this Friday, Aug 2, where Wendy Anderson (@wendelia) and Jack Cochran (@jcochran706) will set up sheets in an oak-juniper habitat to attract nocturnal insects.

Arrive at the park before dark (sunset is around 830 PM), pay your entry fee (4 USD per person, senior 2 USD per person), and drive to Trailhead Parking West, which is signed along the road and is the largest parking lot in the park. If you bring a battery-powered moth rig, Wendy and I can help you find a place to set up.

The office, where you pay your entry fee, closes at 8 PM, but there is a fee night drop if you show up later. Definitely arrive before 9 PM, as that is when the entry gate closes. You can exit through an automatic gate when you’re ready to leave.

Bring your camera, camera flash, flashlight, headlamp, UV flashlight, chair, snacks, and drinks. Wear dark clothing so bugs will land on light sheets and not you!

A Facility Map and Trails Map are available at the website below. See you there!

Friday, August 2
River Ranch County Park
194 Reveille Way, Liberty Hill, TX
https://www.wilcotx.gov/1292/River-Ranch-County-Park