White Slantline Moth on Mayapple flowers

 

A colony of Mayapples (Podophyllum peltatum) resembles a bunch of little green umbrellas thrusting from the forest floor. I photographed this colony deep in Shawnee State Forest (Scioto County, Ohio) on May 7 (2025).

As always, click the photo to enlarge

Fertile plants bear a gorgeous waxy-white flower that arises from the node where the two leaves diverge. The flower is often concealed by the leaves, at least to the upright observer.

It's worth going low to inspect Mayapple flowers, as they sometimes harbor a bit of Lepidopteran magic: White Slantline Moths (Tetracis cachexiata) that resemble the petals, and roost on the flowers during the day. Sometimes several moths can be found on one flower. In short order, I found three White Slantlines - all in separate Mayapple colonies - and surely could have found others had I continued the search.

PHOTO NOTES: I shot the last two images with (as always) my Canon R5 camera, and the amazing Canon 180mm f/3.5 macro lens. This lens was made from 1996 to 2021 and it is one of the sharpest lenses ever made. It also absolutely crushes the background, creating beautiful, creamy bokehs, as can be seen in the last two images. I like its longer reach, as it provides more versatility in how and where one can set up. The 180mm does not have image stabilization, and I made the above image at ISO 200, f/9, and a slow 1/13 exposure. Therefore, a tripod is important, and I have an Oben CTT-1000 carbon fiber tripod. It's miniature, going from ground level to perhaps a foot in height. Perfect for low subjects, and great for stabilizing the 180mm in low-light conditions. That lens also has a tripod collar, so it can easily be rotated while on the tripod.