Since I started mothing, I have developed an odd affection for a group of micromoths that are generally called grass-veneers. Why this is I am not sure. The fact that they are relatively easy to identify (for micromoths, anyway) probably has something to do with it. Here are a few that showed up at my UV black light last week.
The Double-banded Grass-veneer is one of the more colorful species in this group. Its larvae feed on grasses, and you will generally find the adults on or near the ground. Grass-veneers are some of the moths you might disturb while walking on a grassy path.
This Changeable Grass-veneer is doing a headstand. Like the previous moth, its larvae feed on grasses, and the adults are likely to be found near the ground.
The last one is a Vagabond Crambus. This species tends not to be distinctively marked, but that plainness can itself be helpful for identification since so many other crambids do have distinctive markings. Like the others, its larvae feed on grasses, as well as wheat and rye.
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