Flight of the Black Witches (and other early June moth sightings)

Well, it's gotten interesting the past few days.  Just a couple of days ago, while visiting the wonderful BugGuide site, I noticed an entry that a Black Witch moth (Ascalapha odorata, #8649) was seen in Houston.  I was very surprised, because I didn't think they came through the area.  The entry was just the day before, so it got me thinking they might be seen in the area.  Lo and behold, just a few minutes later, I stepped outside, and there was one just below an overhang.  Very large indeed, and very beautiful.  The picture below really doesn't do it justice.

These very large moths - rated at 5 to 6" wingspans - apparently fly up from Mexico, starting in June.  The next day I saw other one, just about 2 miles away.  It looked a bit like a bird at first.  Based on the markings, both were females.

Another large moth recently seen was a Walnut Sphinx (male).  It was sitting on a willow tree, and a wasp came up to it and sort of harassed it.  The moth flew to the grass, where I got a picture of it:

Other moths seen for the first half of June include the following:

3218 - Sonia constrictiana (Constricted Sonia Moth) *
5156 - Nomophila nearctica (Lucerne Moth)
5218 - Palpita quadristigmalis (Four-Spotted Palpita Moth)
6326 - Macaria aemulataria (Common Angle Moth)
7173 - Leptostales pannaria (Pannaria Wave Moth)
8739 - Caenurgina erechtea (Forage Looper Moth) *
9669 - Spodoptera ornithgalli (Yellow-Striped Armyworm Moth)
9688 - Galgula partita (The Wedgeling)
10915 - Peridroma saucia (Pearly Underwing)
Also:
             Plume moth currently trying to identify
             Gelechiid moth currently trying to identify

And then those that got away...

Moths Seen in Late May

Less moths were seen in the last two weeks of May than were in the first two.  Nevertheless, some interesting ones came by, including some new ones to me*

#0383 - Texas Grass Tubeworm Moth*
#4992 - Genista Broom Moth
#5156 - Lucerne Moth
#5169 - Spotted Beet Webworm Moth
#5218 - Four-Spotted Palpita Moth
#5288 - Trapeze Moth*
#6586 - Brown-Shaded Gray Moth
#7136 - Packard's Wave
#74xx - Epithecia ....
#7784 - Pawpaw Sphinx Moth
#8366 - Smoky Tenanolita*
#8534 - Moonseed Moth*
#8801 - Ilia Underwing
#8890 - Soybean Looper
#9670 - Velvet Armyworm Moth