280 days of Urbpandemonium #200

[urbpan]

Another plain brown moth with a story to tell. As a baby inchworm it (I almost said "he," as this is a male moth--but insect larvae have no sex organs) grazed on a variety of weeds like dock and smartweed. These plants are widespread around the world, as are the moths. The caterpillar possibly lived far south of Boston, flying hundreds of miles as a moth. If it doesn't reverse its journey it is surely doomed to freeze, but will be replaced by next years' migrants. This humble insect is even reported to "cross long distances of open sea." Moth-watchers call this creature Orthonama obstipata*, or sometimes "the gem."


*Off-center jointed streams.