I noticed a tiny pink blur floating randomly through the
tall grass. It took a couple of minutes
before it finally settled atop an Orange Coneflower, Rudbeckia fulgida. Once it
was at rest, I was able to get a good look at this little pink moth. Officially known as the Inornate Pyrausta, Pyrausta inornatalis, many people
appropriately refer to this species as simply the Little Pink Moth.
This is a southern species that ranges as far north as Kentucky. I’ve never before seen it at Blue Jay Barrens. INaturalist shows a few scattered sightings in the southern half of Ohio. It will be interesting to see if it becomes a permanent addition to the local fauna.
My grandmother’s house was painted the exact color of this
moth. Her house shined like a beacon
among all of the others on the block. If
I had named this moth, I probably would have called it Gram’s House.
The short video shows the moth nectaring on the coneflower.
