26 June 2013 - The Small Gentleman.

Eucosma cana

The Eucosma cana was found among an assortment of many other micro-moths. That was the same day we got our golden speck, the Argyresthia trifasciata. A comparison of the two only begins to show how varied creatures of the order Lepidoptera can be. Visually, beyond the possession of wings, a head, antennae, and six feet, it can be said that the two micro-moths have very few similarities. The Eucosma cana's grey hoary streaks, from which it gets the species name canus, are completely different than the Argyresthia trifasciata's metallic shimmer. However, despite this, the Eucosma cana must have been admired by someone, as eukosmos in Greek means the 'graceful' or 'well-adorned.' I must admit, it was quite well-mannered, and I had absolutely no trouble working with it. Quite the small gentleman.

- Post by Jane Wu