Police Car Moth

Yesterday afternoon, I drove westwards, a huge smile on my face as I headed towards the foothills and very eastern edge of the mountains. My first stop was at Maclean Pond, hoping to find various mushrooms. I did find a couple of tiny ones (same species), but I did better at finding and photographing a few wildflowers and this beautiful Police Car Moth.

"This is a fairly large moth with a wingspan of up to 50 mm. The wings are jet black with large white patches between the black scaled veins. As well, there are two orange patches of hairs on either side of the thorax, right behind the head. It is this colour combination, that of an old style police car, that gives it its name. Larvae are hairy and black with yellow and blue markings. The Police Car Moth is found throughout the province in or near forested areas. Adults fly throughout July and early August." From www.royalalbertamuseum.ca.