NATURE -- Moths come in a stunning spectrum of colors and varieties, and there's no better time to set your radar for them than now, during National Moth Week.

The authors of “Moths of Western North America” estimate that 7,000 to 8,000 named species of moths live in the west, with another 3,000 unidentified species potentially left to discover.  Compare that to the 200-plus species of butterflies that live in Northeastern Washington and you get an impression of their sheer diversity, says Chris Loggers, wildlife biologist for the Colville National Forest.

"Folks have reported some interesting moths in the past week, one being an Elegant Sheepmoth (Hemileuca eglanterina) …and the other a Great Tiger Moth (Arctia caja).

"Both finders took good photographs with their cellphones, which helps immensely with identification."

To learn more about moths, check out:

• The website Pacific Northwest Moths. 
• The Forest Health Technology Enterprise Team published Macromoths of Northwest Forests and Woodlands, which contains some of the more common species.  
• And, you can always go to BugGuide.  

Loggers also recommends a great book on moths in our area, “Moths of Western North America” by Powell and Opler. 

"If you find a moth that piques your interest, bring it by (to the office in Kettle Falls); I probably won’t identify it for you but you can grab a book and explore their diversity.

• Email photos of moths and where you found them to Loggers at cloggers@fs.fed.us.

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