The Confused Haploa
During lunch at an art workshop in Vermont, a small moth sat quietly on a window.
People walked past it carrying plates and having conversations. Lunch continued around it without interruption.
But I noticed it.
After a while, I went over to see to inspect and saw that it was a moth.
Its wings were covered in an extraordinary pattern of black lines and cream-colored shapes that felt almost graphic in their precision.
Of course, I took photographs. And, of course, I researched it later.
Eventually, I learned that the quiet observer on the window was a Confused Haploa Moth (Haploa confusa).
The name seems unfair — its markings felt deliberate and elegant, as if designed. Each shape and interruption contributed to a pattern unlike any moth I had encountered before.
After returning home, I decided to honor that quiet little creature through watercolor.
As I painted, I found myself resisting the urge to make the markings too regular or symmetrical. The slight unevenness was part of what made this particular moth unique and true to itself.
Every time I see my painting, I remember that specific, gentle moth.
About a year later, at an art fair, someone purchased one of the prints.
That purchase led to a conversation, and I was able to share the story of a striking, little moth most people would never notice, the elegant Confused Haploa.
Resources: Learn about Haploa moths
Continue Exploring:
Related Artwork · Skipper Butterfly Card Set
Related Gallery · Birds and Pollinators Gallery
From the Journal · Hope for the Caterpillars