Species Diastictis fracturalis - Fractured Western Snout Moth - Hodges#5256

5256

Diastictis fracturalis (Zeller, 1872) (1)

Anomostictis fracturalis Warren, 1892

There are nine named species of the genus Diastictis in America north of Mexico. (2), (3), (4)

Forewing length 9.5-14.5 mm. (2)

Powell & Opler (2009) described as pale tan to dark brown with highly variable silvery markings, from small, isolated spots to elongated, connected ones. (2)

Powell & Opler (2009) reported the range to include California(5) to Arkansas and Texas(6). (2)

Moth Photographers Group and Bug Guide shows California to South Dakota, Colorado and Louisiana. (4)

Also found in Mexico, Northern Sonora (Morrison), Amula in Guerrero 6000 feet {H. H. Smith), Jalisco (Schumann).

Moth Photographers Group - large map with some distribution data.

The main flight period appears to be February to October. (4)

Powell & Opler (2009) reported adults fly February through November in coastal California. (2)

"This is the most variable species of the genus, and, although there seem to be geographical differences in norms, the whole gamut of variation is represented in most parts of the range. There is a high proportion of specimens with small spots in Texas, and of pale specimens in Arizona, but there is nothing approaching a degree of differentiation that would justify the separation of subspecies. I can see no clear seasonal separation between pale and dark individuals" (Munroe, 1956) (1)

Monroe, E., 1956. Restriction and revision of the genus Diastictis Hübner (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). The Canadian Entomologist, 88:(1)

Powell, J.A., & P.A. Opler, 2009. Moths of Western North America. University of California Press. p. 180.(2)

Moth Photographers Group (4)

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD) (7)

University of California, Berkeley

Butterflies and Moths of North America (BAMONA) (8)