Spodoptera dolichos

Many may assume that the dearth of rainfall in these parts corresponds to a similar dearth of insects.  And that is right.  No rainfall equals hardly any herbs flowering and few bugs.  Yet though life without rain is totally evil, a few bugs bravely turn up anyway.  Like this sweet potato armyworm that wound up in the Parlor of the Goddess. 

Crumby had a hard time identifying this particular moth.  It's not a good specimen either because before Crumby took its picture, it was sat on  by a cat for about two hours and almost smothered.