Ilia underwing

National Moth Week, an endeavor designed to "celebrate the beauty, life cycles, and habitats of moths" around the world, runs this year from the 18th to the 26th of July, and in its honor, I thought I'd highlight one of these magical creatures, which, in recent days, have mostly appeared in this blog as horrible pests. Moths, of course, are essentially butterflies that work the night shift, and the vast majority of them are benign. A number are also exquisitely beautiful, especially the silk moths, which, for unknown reasons, have not put in an appearance this year. A bit earlier than usual, however, I've started to notice the first of the Underwing moths, and at the oak tree sap-seep that was so attractive to a host of Carrion Beetles, I observed, after dark, the arrival of an Ilia Underwing, which has peppery forewings that feature a bold white reniform spot. You can barely see the crazily patterned, orange-and-black underwings that give the genus Catocala its common name. If the sap keeps flowing, I think I've found a perfect NMW vantage point.