Remember the caterpillar on the palo verde tree?

Now we have most parts of the life cycle.

Caterpillar

Pupa

 

And now  a moth!

Turns out to be the Royal Poinciana Moth, Melipotis acontioides, or a close relative. Isn’t that a great common name?

It turns out that I had found a similar moth a few weeks before. I didn’t try to identify it at the time because I had no idea what it’s food plant was.

Knowing the food plant, plus all the stages, makes it easier to figure out an insect’s identity.

Arizona naturalists have some more photographs of the same species of moth found in June 1, 2005. I first found our caterpillars May 30, 2018.

Interested in moths? Don’t forget National Moth Week events, which are July 21-29, 2018.