25 June 2013 - A Speck of Gold.
A quick glimmer of gold was all I saw before catching this micro-moth in a tube for safekeeping. The Argyresthia trifasciata was quite a perky fellow and upon letting it out perched happily atop my right index finger while I attempted to one-handedly (my left hand too - the wrong hand for the camera) take a picture of it. As soon as I had turned my head to look in another direction I lost it, though I quickly found it again thanks to its distinctive metallic glint, from which it gets its genus name - arguros meaning 'silver' and esthes 'dress.' Good thing too. I would have been terribly upset if someone had accidentally stepped on it. Tri- 'three' and fascia 'a band' simply mark the tell-tale three white bands on the forewings. Argyresthia trifasciata makes moth number 266 at Shandy Hall.
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| Argyresthia trifasciata |
- Post by Jane Wu
