June springs forth with dozens of types of butterflies and moths to claim the attention of the rambler. Some are easy to identify, like the Red-spotted Purples and the returning Red Admirals. Others are smaller but just as noticeable, like these fingernail-sized moths perching on a sunlit leaf in a shady part of Riverwood Conservancy, then rising up to chase away rivals or perhaps chase after partners. Their wings are basically dark but a broad white stripe on each side makes the moths very noticeable.
Hooray for Names That Make Sense Like “White Striped Black” Moth
My need to identify new creatures would be met more easily if they all had names like this little moth. It’s called a White-striped Black which suits it perfectly. Although I didn’t find it by looking that phrase up in my Peterson Field Guide to Moths of Northeastern North America, I could have. (Well, it would have been a little tricky as it’s indexed under Black, White-striped.)
You can see from the goldenrod and creeper that these are small moths.
The book confirms the id by mentioning this small moth is “often seen during daytime along wooded trails.” My experience exactly!
Why Do Shade-Loving Moths Persist In Staying in the Dimly-Lit Glades?
As a photographer, I wish to register a minor complaint with the White-striped Black moth guild: It’s very hard for me to get a good photo of one when
a) They like to fly away if I approach within 3 metres and
b) They like to stay in the shade where my camera balks at taking a clear photo
Ah, well, I think these photos give you a reasonable idea of what moth I’m talking about.
What Do White-striped Black Moth Caterpillars Eat?
I had expected to find that the moth lays eggs on Virginia Creeper. By far and away, this was the most common leaf on which I saw them perched. But according to Peterson’s, the host plant is impatiens.
The two Jewelweeds of Ontario.
That stumped me for a while, until I realized that Jewelweed, or Touch me not, is actually a type of impatiens. Jewelweed grows rampant in the parks in Mississauga and Oakville, so the caterpillars should have lots to munch.
This one landed on sand near the Credit River in the early morning. I think it was sunning because it stayed perched in the open for over a minute.
I haven’t seen one of their caterpillars yet but I keep looking. And I’ll enjoy looking at the moths again next June, too.
Related Reading
- What Is This Dark Moth With 8 Large White Spots?
- Luna Moths are Huge
- Electric-blue and Orange Colouring Enlivens Ctenucha Moths
Join In
Have you seen any White-striped Black moths on your Impatiens? Please share your sighting with a comment.
I saw one today, July 25th, 2017 at the Mississippi River, Ramsey, MN Anoka County.
Thanks for sharing!
Saw one on the side of my house (lannon stone) July 3, 2019 Sussex WI, Waukesha county. I’m in a suburb of Milwaukee.
I wonder if it was sun bathing!
I was trying to identify what had landed on me and this was the best information I found. The little moth stayed on my chest for over 30 minutes as I was cleaning. It was a sweet experience.
What a lovely experience!
I saw one today ( Aug 1 ) in Bunker Hills Regional Park in Andover, MN. I was intrigued because I had never seen one before, which lead me to this site to find out what it was! Now I know🙂!
I’m glad you found one of these cute moths!
In the past two days, I had this little moth land on me. Yesterday, as I sat in a sacred area of a property in Westfield Massachusetts, while mourning my son’s passing a week ago, it came and landed on the tip of my nose. It wasn’t there long, but did continue to flutter about the area, eventually disappearing into a large patch of jewelweed outside the sacred circle.
Today, while in the same spot, this time with a longtime friend, reminiscing over past shared experiences in this special setting, the moth returned and did a touch and go routine, landing on the two of us repeatedly for a couple minutes while we stood between a sweat lodge and the sacred fire pit.
I didn’t realize it was a moth, and had I had a camera at the moment, would have attempted to get some shots of it. Your page was The experience will have to live in my memory just as my son’s memory will.
I’m very sorry to hear of your son’s passing. And I’m sorry for my slow reply. Thank you for sharing your experience. I’m sure we agree that you were visited by more than a moth….
Just saw one today, I think a first for me, in my lawn in western NY.
Lots of jewel weed a few hundred yards away.
Sounds like you may see some again next spring! Thanks for sharing.
Just saw one this evening for the first time in my 66 years alive. My husband and I were sitting out on our deck at 8pm in Burton Ohio enjoying a glass of wine and watching the hummingbirds. I have always grown impatiens each summer but this was the only time one appeared. Very unique little moth!
Sounds like a wonderful evening to me!
We have a dozen or so here today . First time that I can say I have seen them. Last two weeks we have had a lot of tiger swallow tail here on the lake and east coast area of Bethel NB .
I love it when the butterflies and moths all start appearing!
Just saw my first one at age 63 in black mountain NC. Fantastic. Neighbor a few hundred yards away has Jewel weed. I have plenty of seeds for next year!
Thanks for sharing! Hope you see them each year.
Saw a pair mating on our front door window, tonight. We have plenty of jewel weed and creeper.
We’re in the Finger Lakes region of NY
I guess they should start a successful family!
We spotted one at a small family gathering on Memorial Day weekend. I took a few pictures. I will try to submit them. This little creature was fascinating to watch.
Thanks for sharing. A good website to upload photos of wild things is iNaturalist.org
Hi there,
Like you, I’ve found them very challenging to photograph – they have an uncanny sense when I’m getting close. I’ve seen them intermittently over the last two summers, but I’m not sure what plants they are attracted to here but I suspect it may be northern willow herb (an Epilobium species (and apparently they are attracted to Epilobium species)).
Thanks for the information on your site; it was informative and fun to get your and other people’s observations on this pretty little moth.
Thanks for sharing your experiences! It’s interesting to see how many of us find these moths and where.