Egg-laying moth

<p class="p1">Romance-area resident Rhonda Herndon photographed this yellow-striped armyworm moth laying eggs one night recently on the glass of her storm door. Rhonda, who enjoys studying and photographing moths, said she “wasn’t excited” about seeing the moth “because it is common.” But later, when she looked again she saw “greenish stuff” below the moth. “I knew it was eggs!” Rhonda said in an email to friends. “They are supposed to lay their eggs on a host plant, but this one thought she would try glass.” The moth laid eggs for about 20 minutes, she said. Using <em>A Field Guide to Moths of Eastern North America</em> by Charles V. Covell Jr., she identified the moth, noting that it’s a pest – but is not the true armyworm that can cause massive damage to crops. Missouri University Extension agronomy specialist Sarah Kenyon checked with the state entomologists, who confirmed Rhonda’s identification of the moth.  </p>

Egg-laying moth