Significant finds from western Oklahoma
One of North America's leading amateur moth-ers, Laura Gaudette (@gaudettelaura), visited Oklahoma for a few days in September of this year. She set up her lights in Roger Mills County (north of I-40 near the border with Texas), Ellis County (a little west of Woodward), and Cimarron County (Black Mesa State Park). A few of her observations are state records, and even more of them are first iNaturalist observations in the state. This underscores the need for more observations in western Oklahoma. I hope to make at least one trip to the western reaches in 2021.
State Records
Hyperepia jugifera - Cimarron County
First iNat records for Oklahoma
Snakeweed Borer (Pelochrista ridingsana) - Cimarron County
Pseudanarta singula - Cimarron County
Tricholita chipeta - Cimarron County
Hulst's Flower Moths (Schinia hulstia) - Roger Mills County
Schinia alencis - Cimarron County
Schinia bicuspida - Roger Mills County
Schinia bicuspida - Ellis County
Vermilion Granite Moth (Digrammia subminiata) - Cimarron County
The Nutmeg (Anarta trifolii) - Cimarron County
The Nutmeg (Anarta trifolii) - Roger Mills County
Ponometia libedis - Cimarron County
Acopa sp. - Cimarron County
This could be either Acopa carina or Acopa perpallida. The former would be a state record and the latter is already known to occur in Cimarron County. Regardless, this is the first iNaturalist observation of any Acopa species in the state.
Possible state records...
These last two are definitely the first iNaturalist records for their species in the state and they might be state records. I am checking on that.
Schinia walsinghami - Cimarron County
Ponometia nannodes - Cimarron County
Thanks to Laura for helping us map the moths of Oklahoma! I hope our paths cross someday.
