When: Dec 4, 2024

Summary:  Dinumma deponens, an erebid moth from southeastern Asia, was first taken in the U.S. in north Georgia in 2012. Since that time, the moth has spread throughout much of the range of its introduced hostplant in the eastern U.S. (Silktree, frequently called Mimosa, Albizia julibrissin). The spread has been quick to the north, slightly slower to the west, and at a snail’s pace to the south. Much of the information on its spread has been gathered through citizen science and social media. I will discuss the spread of this moth, some of the fun highlights along the way, and the possible source of the moth in the U.S. and reasons for the pace of spread in different directions. It is a REALLY fun story!

Bio: Dr. James Adams is a professor at Dalton State College, now in his 34th year of teaching classes that begin with an E:  Ecology, Evolution, Entomology, Ethology.  He is the editor of the “News of the Lepidopterists’ Society”, a quarterly publication of the Lepidopterists’ Society.  Although he is a specialist in Noctuoidea, he favors other groups of moths (Zygaenoidea in particular), and also has an interest in butterflies as well.