Deborah Davis

@mothpainter.bsky.social

I am an old woman who lives in the woods in an odd little house. I find immense joy in observing nature and making art. mothpaintings.com

I finally finished this Luna commission. I can safely say that Actias luna is the most popular moth in North America. I have painted it often, but each one is unique. The painting is 30X40 acrylic on canvas.

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The large and glamorous Luna moths are always early spring visitors here in Virginia. I never tire of seeing them. These two male Actias luna showed up the same night at my UV lights. If you examine them closely you can see the subtle differences between them. Moths are indeed unique individuals.

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Moth Face Friday comes around again! This captivating and charming face belongs to Pine Devil. Citheronia sepulcralis is hardly a “devil”, but as a caterpillar it has a much more forbidding visage.

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I dreamed about Mothing last night. I was in China and there were hundreds of moths. Most of them unknown to me. Sphinx moths. I woke with feelings of awe. I won’t be in China, but anticipating spring here in Virginia. This painting is Huckleberry Sphinx- Paonias astylus. 30X40 acrylic on canvas.

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Moth Face Friday! This is The Hebrew. These are very common in the summer at my place. The host plant is black gum. Yes, I have those in abundance. From this angle it looks more like a demented clown. Polygrammate hebraeicum.

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My Luna commission is finally done. This is one of the most beautiful and iconic moths that we have in North America. It elicits feelings of awe and wonder when it appears. I have painted it countless times. Actias luna- 30X40 acrylic on canvas.

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There was little action at the moth sheet last night. There were many Dot Lined Whites-Artace cribrarius. As usual there were lots of males and only one female. It was nice to get a photo of a pair side by side. The male is on the left and female on the right. Pre dawn on 10/19 inVA.

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I just finished a commission of Pondside Crambid-Elophila icciusalis. This tiny moth is beautifully patterned. I see these occasionally at my UV lights each summer. I am sure this painting will brighten up a room. It is 30 X40 acrylic on stretched canvas.

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Imperial Moths steal the show in July. Last night I had 9 of them at my lights. I like doing group shots to illustrate the size differences. The group contains Spiny Oakworm Moth -Anisota stigma, The Hebrew- Polygrammate hebraeicum, and Eacles imperialis.

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National Moth Week got off to a great start at The Quarry Gardens At Schuyler last night. Thanks to Rachel and Devin for hosting a wonderful event. Here are photos of the moth-ers rather than moths. Conditions were excellent for moths and we saw so many.

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It’s July when these magnificent moths make their first appearance. They are large and very common at my place. These two males were the first of the season for me. Imperial moths- Eacles imperialis showed up about midnight 7/10 in the piedmont region of Virginia.

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Moth Face Friday is back with my painting of a Rosy Maple Moth. This evening is also the opening reception for my show “Drawn To Light” at McGuffey Art Center in Charlottesville, VA. Be there from 5:30-7:30 to say hello. After dark I will have a UV light set up. You may even see these in person.

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For Moth Face Friday I present a painting of The Giant Leopard Moth face. This painting with many other moth paintings is hanging at McGuffey Art Center in Charlottesville. “Drawn To Light” will be there through 8/17. The opening reception is on 7/11.

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Get to McGuffey Art Center in downtown Charlottesville, VA to see my show “Drawn To Light”. It will be there until 8/17 with the opening reception on Friday 7/11. Thanks to the gallery committee for the good installation.

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