It's a moth, could be one of several species, let's try the White-tipped black moth first, Melanchroia chephise. It gets mentioned every year on the forum and it is usually present in large numbers.

Good try but not it. The white stripe is across the center of the wing with a black spot in the middle. Will try to post a pic asap. Thank you!

Do you have a second one I could look up. BTW, it is definitely a moth.

Mary

Sounds like a buck moth

That's it ! ! ! These butterfly/moth are Buckmoths. Thank you so much for the identification. They are all over my back yard and yes, I do have scrub oak trees there. This is the first of the 30 years I have lived here that they have been abundant enough for me to notice.

Thanks again for all the help.

Mary

Good job turtledon. Nailing it down from the actually pretty scant info given, no location or size or habitat would not be an easy task for the average Lepidopterists. Gold star to you.

Since the Hemileucinae have been one of my specialties for nearly 45 years, I was able to pick up on what key info was given (late date, gray/black, orange/white, diural, profuse) that did point them to a possible Hemileuca. IF it was flying in the southeast especially (late date/profuse), the gray/black & orange/white and being diural pointed me to Hemileuca maia (although location could also include H. juno or H. peigleri). Your adding the presence of Quercus in your last post leubafr is a strong indication of either H. maia or H. peigleri (probably eliminates H. juno which is a Prosopsis feeder), but since peigleri is only found in a very small area of south central TX I'm betting H. maia which is scattered along the eastern half of the country.

H. maia is an eastern species, rarer in the north and west to about the Great Lakes/TX but can be to pest levels and a late in the year daytime flyer in the deep south, it does appear gray/black in flight due to the opaqueness of its black wings, and it's habitat is around Quercus with it's larva feeding most commonly on srub oaks (Quercus ilicifolia).

A good winter project for you leubafr (if you care) would be to look for egg rings on the terminal twigs of your oak this winter with the possibility of raising them next year. Their larva do have urticating spines, although not that powerful unless you are one suseptable to insect poisons, but they are easy enough to rear and can be a fun project that can take up to 2 or more years to go from egg to adult.

Anyway, nice find and again good catch turtledon.

Larry