Winter Beetles

 I took advantage of a sunny afternoon (1/7/13) to look for critters in the woods around my yard in Carroll County, VA. I didn't find any moths, but I did find two beetle larvae, species unknown, and an adult Ellychnia corrusca, a day-flying member of the lightning beetle family. Finding them involved pulling loose bark off dead trees, some standing and others lying on the ground. The photos were taken in March 2011.

Sooner or later I'll find a wintering moth or butterfly. In our area Mourning Cloaks overwinter as adults as do some Vanessas and anglewings. There are a fair number of overwintering moths, including Phigalia and some Agonopterix.