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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Pyralid and Crambid Snout Moths (Pyraloidea) » Crambid Snout Moths (Crambidae) » Pyraustinae » Uresiphita » Genista Broom Moth - Hodges#4992 (Uresiphita reversalis)

Species Uresiphita reversalis - Genista Broom Moth - Hodges#4992

Classification · Hodges Number · Other Common Names · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Explanation of Names · Numbers · Size · Identification · Range · Season · Food · Life Cycle · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited
Caterpillars - Uresiphita reversalis Unknown Caterpillar - Uresiphita reversalis Catarpillar - Uresiphita reversalis moth - Uresiphita reversalis moth - Uresiphita reversalis Rust and Yellow snout moth - Uresiphita reversalis Genista Broom Moth (Uresiphita reversalis) - Uresiphita reversalis Genista Broom Moth - Uresiphita reversalis
Show images of: caterpillars · adults · both
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
Superfamily Pyraloidea (Pyralid and Crambid Snout Moths)
Family Crambidae (Crambid Snout Moths)
Subfamily Pyraustinae
Genus Uresiphita
Species reversalis (Genista Broom Moth - Hodges#4992)
Hodges Number
4992
Other Common Names
Sophora Worm
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Uresiphita reversalis (Guenée, 1854)
Mecyna reversalis Guenée, 1854
* phylogenetic sequence #149675
Explanation of Names
"Sophora Worm" is reference to the native host genus: Sophora.
"Genista Broom Moth" is an odd common name for a native North American moth as Genista (common name of "broom") is an Old World genus, family Fabaceae.
Numerous species of broom have been introduced into North America, some of which have become noxious invasives such as common broom (Cytisus scoparius), French broom (Genista monspessulana) and Spanish broom (Spartium junceum).
Sophora - USDA PLANTS Database
Genista - USDA PLANTS Database
Broom - Wikipedia
Numbers
1 sp. north of Mexico (1)
Size
Wingspan 27-34 mm, based on numerous Internet photos
Identification
Adult: forewing light to medium brown with dark scalloped AM and PM lines (sometimes broken or indistinct) and two dark discal spots; hindwing yellow or orange with some brownish-gray shading at apex.
Larva: body brownish-green with raised black dorsolateral spots on each abdominal segment, and white dot at tip of each black spot; sparse long white hairs protrude from dorsolateral spots; head black with white dots.
Range
e US to CA / W. Indies - Map (MPG)
Season
Adults fly year-round in far south.
Food
Larvae feed on Acacia, Baptisia, Genista, Lupinus, Texas Mountain Laurel (Sophora secundiflora) and other pea family shrubs. Also reported on Crapemyrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) and honeysuckle (Lonicera spp.).
Life Cycle
Multiple generations per year; usually overwinters as a pupa, and sometimes as an adult.
        1. larvae                 2. larvae                     3. pupa                     4. adult                   5. adult
Print References
Bernays, E. A. & C. B. Montllor 1989. Aposematism of Uresiphita reversalis larvae (Pyralidae). Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society, 43(4): 261-273.
Boisduval, J. A. & A. Guenée 1854. Botydae. Deltoides et Pyralites. Hist. nat. Ins., Spec. gén. Lépid. 8: 409
Leen, R. 1992. Not so novel interactions of Uresiphita ssp. (Crambidae) and their host plants. Ph.D. dissertation, University of California, Berkeley. 124 pp.
Leen, R. 1995. Biology of Uresiphita reversalis (Guenee) and comparison with U. Polygonalis maorialis (Felder) (Crambidae). Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society, 49(2): 163-170.
Internet References
Moth Photographers Group - MPG
Sophora Worm - Maricopa County Cooperative Extension
Genista Broom Moth photos - University of California, Irvine
Works Cited
1.Check list of the Lepidoptera of America north of Mexico.
Hodges, et al. (editors). 1983. E. W. Classey, London. 284 pp.
Contributed by Jason D. Roberts on 30 July, 2007 - 2:34pm
Additional contributions by Hannah Nendick-Mason, Robin McLeod, Jeff Hollenbeck, Mike Quinn, Maury Heiman, Aaron Schusteff, marcie oconnor, Randy Hardy, Blocky
Last updated 28 March, 2017 - 9:48am

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