Winter Moths–a few moths are flying on “warm” nights

Lithophane grotei (Grote’s Pinion)–One of the “winter moths” that come to my sugar bait this time of year.  I photographed this one back on 13 January at my sugar bait–a concoction of over-ripe bananas, stale beer, brown sugar, and molasses–that I paint on trees in the front yard.  These moths generally are not attracted to lights but readily come in to bait.  They and other species of sallows and pinions will generally fly this time of year when the ambient temperature at sunset is in the upper 40’s or above.  The adults overwinter and will lay eggs timed to hatch when the first maples start flowering in March.