Sluggin' Along: Vagabond Crambus

Vagabond Crambus? Wasn't he a character in one of Dickens' novels? Alas, no. But he's still an intriguing character, nonetheless. "Vagabond Crambus" is another name for Agriphila vulgivagellus, a member of the Crambidae family of moths. He's also sometimes called a "sod webworm." What's cool about this moth is that he rolls his wings up and throws his antennae back, making himself look like a stick. In addition, he has these cool furry orange-black labial palps. As I understand it, the hairs on these mouthparts can sense the moth's environment and gather information about it, and might also help it eat.

As it's easy to confuse the parts, remember that in these photos the moth's antennae are pressed back against its wings, its furry labial palps are sticking out from its head, and its eyes are above these palps, facing to the sides. Only two of its legs are showing in the first images; the rest are tucked in. And all the while it was sitting there, it was moving its palps from side to side, and bringing them together and moving them apart, probably testing the air or warming up.