I have been trying to find an id for this moth since I came home from work one day at lunch time to a large group (swarm?) of these near and on my front door in Oct. 06. I would guess there were at least 30, maybe 100, maybe more. They were on window screens, on the walls of my small front porch and just flying around. A few were still there the next day but most were gone. I haven't seen one since. The only tree I have in my front yard is a dwarf Catalpa if that helps. Thanks for looking!
angele! I think you are in luck!
Take a look at 7735 - Hemileuca juno under Saturniidae. The males have the feathery antennae.
http://mothphotographersgroup.msstate.edu/Files/RJN/RJN01.shtml
http://images.google.co.uk/images?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=Hemileuca+juno+&um=1&sa=N&tab=wi
By George I think you got it! Everything fits! Thank you!!
http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species?l=3313
Identification: Female is larger than the male. Male abdomen is black with the rear half red, female abdomen is black. Upperside of forewing of both sexes is black with a band of white spots and a white streak along the costa near the base. Male hindwing is usually solid black and the female hindwing normally has some white spots, although these characteristics are variable.
Life history: In the fall, adults emerge from their cocoons in the morning and mating occurs in the afternoon. Females lay eggs from late afternoon until sunset; the eggs overwinter and hatch in April or May. Young caterpillars feed in groups on buds and flowers in the mornings, usually resting among branches during the afternoons. Development is rapid, and caterpillars spin cocoons in leaf litter in May or June. Most of these will emerge as adults in the fall, but some may delay emergence for up to 4 years.
Flight: One brood from late September to early December. yes!
Wing span: 2 1/2 - 3 1/8 inches (6.4 - 8 cm).
Caterpillar hosts: Various mesquite (Prosopis) species. lots of that around here
Adult food: Adults do not feed.
Habitat: Desert scrub and mesquite woodlands.
Range: El Paso, Texas west across central and southwestern New Mexico through southern Arizona, and south into Sonora, Mexico. Spot on!
I went to the members links on that site and chose the one which said TX and Southwest first off! Lucky!
