280 days of Urbpandemonium #126

The common tan wave Pleuroprucha insulsaria* has probably become much more "common," that is to say abundant, since humans drastically changed the landscape of North America. Its larva is an inchworm, a familiar group of caterpillars that mostly feed on the leaves and needles of various trees. This species also likes to eat a number of weedy plants that human activity favors: goldenrod, smartweed, sumac. But field observations and experiments show a much more preferred food source--corn silk. They don't eat enough to be considered a serious economic pest, but appear to be the only member of the Geometridae family to feed on the top US crop.

* I am vexed by this one. "Pleuro" means "side." "Prucha" doesn't appear in any of my references, but pops up as a German surname here and there. The genus was named by a German entomologist, but he died in 1888 and we can't ask him what he meant. "Insulsaria" literally means "unsalted" and probably is meant to convey "foolish" in this instance.

The wheel of the year: Lammas, Lughnasadh

First harvest day arrives with The God effigy of our yard looking placidly out of his garland of Virginia Creeper.


Later the sun comes out and is greeted by his many worshippers.

Old friend

I encountered this little man in the hallway of the zoo hospital offices. I took this picture and thought, too bad I've already covered this species Platycryptus undatus* in my project. But hey, I haven't written about the scientific name yet!

* "Broadly hidden and wavy"