Red-shouldered Moth

I took this photo on Wednesday, but it wasn’t until Friday that I was able to figure out an identification.  Thanks to the Internet, Facebook, and Chris Pace of Elkton, it was determined to be a Red-shouldered Moth. On Wednesday Jeanette and I were hiking on Bear Meadow Trail, one of the more remote trails of Beaver Creek State Natural Area. We were primarily looking and counting birds, when my attention was caught by the bright color contrast of this moth feeding on Tansy Ragwort. I was further intrigued because I would have expected to find the Cinnabar Moth, shown in the lower photo, which is commonly used to fight the noxious Tansy Ragwort.  The Red-shouldered Moth is unusual enough that I have not been able to find information in any paper book guides, only the Internet.