Anyone have an idea what this insect was?

V

visceral_instinct

Monkey see, monkey denigrate
Valued Senior Member
I saw a moth-like insect that was about 1.5in long, with pure black wings and very long thin antennae that were nearly as long as its body.

I'll try and draw a picture of it if you like...
 
Yellow around the head? Maybe a Ctenucha. They're common, seen around wet meadows or wood edges - like on a goldenrod flower.

Here's a picture - the Virginia one is very common anywhere east of the Mississippi, and it looks almost solid, dusty black. They are more often seen in earlier summer. They fly during the day. The antennae look longer in life than the photo appears.

The last picture is the caterpillar, which is cute.

http://www.acleris.com/dls/08262.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ctenucha_virginica
http://www.pbase.com/crocodile/image/77991991

If it was more wasplike, if the wings were clearer, if it was tapping or waving with its antennae, that's another world of guesses.
 
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iceaura said:
Yellow around the head? Maybe a Ctenucha. They're common, seen around wet meadows or wood edges - like on a goldenrod flower.

Here's a picture - the Virginia one is very common anywhere east of the Mississippi,
Click to expand...
IIRC she's from Ireland. Is that far enough east of the Mississippi? :D
 
It wasn't a Ctenucha virginica, It looked like a tiny living version of a delta-winged aeroplane, sharply pointed triangular wings, and it was entirely black.

I will draw a picture this evening.
 
acid said:
IIRC she's from Ireland. Is that far enough east of the Mississippi?
Click to expand...
:D Dunno if there are Ctenuchids in Ireland. I'd be surprised if there were not.

But they probably would not rest like a delta-wing airplane with thin antennae - that's another category of moths entirely, probably. Owlets, some geometrids, etc - hundreds of them, including many dozens of dark ones.
 
visceral_instinct said:
It wasn't a Ctenucha virginica, It looked like a tiny living version of a delta-winged aeroplane, sharply pointed triangular wings, and it was entirely black.

I will draw a picture this evening.
Click to expand...

Were its wings shiny ?
How's that drawing coming along :p
 
Sorry, I have done a drawing, but the <deleted> scanner is being a <deleted>, so...
 
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I can't.

I saw the little dude in my mother's car for about 5 seconds before he flew out the window. I don't know where to go find another insect like that.
 
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