Creek Field: Frequent Companions in Late September, Early October, 2015

Green Lace Wing on Goldenrod
Creek Field, 9/29/15
Family Chrysopidae
Order Neuroptera

Walking through the Creek Field is never a lonely experience.

But these days I have clouds of companions, especially right around sunset--fluttery mists of insects rising up around me in response to the disturbance of my steps.       

Prominent among my fellow patrons of the Creek Field are Green Lace Wings.   They disappear into the darkness so quickly it took a flash to get this photo.  

As adults, Green Lace Wings are creatures of dawn, dusk, or nighttime, feeding on nectar, pollen, & occasional small insects.

As larvae, they are carnivorous.   They devour aphids!!!!

I hope they'll come around next year when hordes of aphids attack the beautiful blossoms of Swamp Milkweed!  
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Accompanying every step as well is an explosion of "black" 

Snout Moth
Family Crambidae
on truck window by pole barn
October 1, 2015

moths--at least they look black to me in the gathering dusk.  They zig-zag so rapidly & blend back in with the foliage so quickly that it's hard to get a good look.  It wasn't until one landed on my truck window that I was able to take a photo.   

The photo at left showed me that this moth is not black at all but a remarkable combination of brown & tan.   Magnifying the photo showed that, though its colors are subtle, its wings are decorated lavishly with ridges, bumps, & lacy trim.   

And check out that two-part "nose"!!  
Truly an amazing appendage that not every creature can boast!  

Thanks to Eva Zurek, K-State Insect Diagnostician extraordinaire, I learned that this is a Snout Moth of the family Crambidae.  That name should be easy to remember!  

Also thanks to Dr. Zurek for helping me learn about Lace Wings!