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Index of Subjects --Apple-Mail-174-1008767282 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed; delsp=yes Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi Eleanor, On 13-Jun-08, at 6:08 PM, Eleanor Lindsay wrote: > A little butterfly, quite unlike any I have ever seen before is > presently visiting my property; it is small; v. approx 1.5cms with > wings outstretched, and it is totally black, except for four large > round white spots on each wing and two little orange oval 'blobs' on > either side of the head. The white spots are very striking, making > it looks rather like a flying domino! Can anyone tell me what this is? I think you probably mean two large spots on each wing (remember that butterflies and moths have four wings) and that the oval "blobs" are actually on the side of the thorax (or on the front and middle legs) since this sounds very much like a moth (rather than a butterfly) known as the Eight-spotted Forester (Alypia octomaculata (Fabricius, 1775)), member of the family Noctudidae. There are some excellent pictures of this species located at: http://www.texasento.net/octomaculata.htm In many individuals the yellowish spots on the forewings can look quite pale giving it the appearance of eight white spots. Also, you'll notice that there is a patch of yellowish pubescence on the sides of the thorax where the forewings attach to the body and there are orange pubescent patches on the femurs of the front and middle legs. Its a colourful, common species that feeds on grapes and Virginia Creeper, and is frequently seen flying during daylight hours. All the best! Chris Christopher Majka Nova Scotia Museum, 1747 Summer St., Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3H 3A6 c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca --Apple-Mail-174-1008767282 Content-Type: text/html; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <html><body style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; = -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">Hi = Eleanor,<div><br><div><div>On 13-Jun-08, at 6:08 PM, Eleanor Lindsay = wrote:</div><br class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote = type=3D"cite"><div>A little butterfly, quite unlike any I have ever seen = before is presently visiting my property; it is small; v. approx 1.5cms = with wings outstretched, and it is totally black, except for four large = round white spots on each wing and two little orange oval 'blobs' on = either side of the head. The white spots are very striking, making it = looks rather like a flying domino! Can anyone tell me what this = is?<br></div></blockquote><br></div><div>I think you probably mean two = large spots on each wing (remember that butterflies and moths have four = wings) and that the oval "blobs" are actually on the side of the thorax = (or on the front and middle legs) since this sounds very much like a = moth (rather than a butterfly) known as the Eight-spotted Forester = (<i>Alypia octomaculata</i> (Fabricius, 1775)), member of the = family Noctudidae. There are some excellent pictures of this species = located at:</div><div><br></div><div><a = href=3D"http://www.texasento.net/octomaculata.htm">http://www.texasento.ne= t/octomaculata.htm</a></div><div><br></div><div>In many individuals the = yellowish spots on the forewings can look quite pale giving it the = appearance of eight white spots. Also, you'll notice that there is a = patch of yellowish pubescence on the sides of the thorax where the = forewings attach to the body and there are orange pubescent patches on = the femurs of the front and middle legs. Its a colourful, common = species that feeds on grapes and Virginia Creeper, and is frequently = seen flying during daylight hours.</div><div><br></div><div>All the = best!</div><div><br></div><div>Chris</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><d= iv apple-content-edited=3D"true"> <span class=3D"Apple-style-span" = style=3D"border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: = rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: = normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: = normal; line-height: normal; text-align: auto; = -khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: none; text-indent: 0px; = -apple-text-size-adjust: auto; text-transform: none; orphans: 2; = white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; "><div = style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -khtml-nbsp-mode: space; = -khtml-line-break: after-white-space; "><div>Christopher = Majka</div><div>Nova Scotia Museum, 1747 Summer St., Halifax, Nova = Scotia, Canada B3H 3A6</div><div><a = href=3D"mailto:c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca">c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca</a></div><= div><br class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></div></div><br = class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"></span> = </div><br></div></body></html>= --Apple-Mail-174-1008767282--
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