The moth seen in this photo was found by my wife Donna in the grass at our Monroe County home one afternoon shortly after a spring shower.

It is known as the confused eusarca.  it is one of the many small moths that fly about Georgia backyards from April to October.

Measuring a little more than an inch from wingtip to wingtip, at first glance it may appear nondescript.  However, if you closely examine this moth you will find that the dorsal side of its tiny almost white to yellowish tan wings appear to be sprinkled with extremely small bits of grayish brown dust. Larger black dots (discal spots) are also present on the wings  A thin, straight brownish line (that entomologists call the pm line) runs across the wings.  This line makes a turn or seems to disappear near the tips of the wings.

Confused eusarca caterpillars eat a number of plants that commonly grow in Georgia yards such as clover, goldenrod, asters and dandelions.

If you want to better see the wing pattern displayed on the wings of this small moth, look at it through a pair of close focus binoculars or photograph it with your digital camera or cell phone. When you increase the magnification of the picture, the delicate wing pattern will seemingly magically appear.