Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Psara obscuralis (Lederer, 1863)
Botys obscuralis Lederer, 1863
Numbers
one of 2 species in this genus in North America listed at
All-LepsSize
wingspan about 23 mm, based on photo by Jim Vargo at MPG
Identification
Adult: forewing dull yellowish to brown with dark AM and PM lines; AM line almost straight, slightly curved near inner margin; PM line convoluted, situated fairly close to outer margin, with convex multi-toothed lobe in upper half and concave single-toothed lobe in lower half; dark rectangular reniform spot touches or almost touches concave portion of PM line; light brownish shading in subterminal area is diffuse and does not form a distinct subterminal line; hindwing similar to forewing in color and markings but lacks AM line and is paler toward base
Range
eastern United States: Maryland to Florida, west to at least Texas and Illinois
Season
adults fly from May to late August or September
Food
larvae feed on
Guinea Henweed (
Petiveria alliacea) in Costa Rica and probably within the plant's restricted North American range of Texas and Florida. American pokeweed,
Phytolacca americana, appears to be the main host in North America.
Remarks
larvae are hosts of the endoparasitoid braconid wasp Alabagrus roibasi in Costa Rica
See Also
Herbivorous Pleuroptya (
Pleuroptya silicalis) forewing PM line is situated farther from outer margin and is not as deeply toothed as in
Psara (
compare images of these and other species by Jim Vargo at MPG;
Pleuroptya penumbralis is a synonym of
P. silicalis)
Hahncappsia species have a definite and straight subterminal line on the forewing, and a straight partial PM line on the hindwing (
see photos of several species by Jim Vargo at MPG)
Print References
Lederer, J. 1863: Beitrag zur Kenntniss der Pyralidinen. – Wiener Entomologische Monatschrift 7 (8, 10–12): 375, 472–473, pl. 11 fig. 9.
(1)Internet References
live adult images by various photographers, plus common name reference and photos of related species (Moth Photographers Group)
pinned adult image plus location and date (John Snyder, Furman U., South Carolina)
pinned adult image by John Glaser, plus dates and locations (Larry Line, Maryland)
2 pinned adult images and collection site map showing presence in Kentucky and Tennessee (All-Leps)
larval foodplant; PDF doc in Costa Rica, and report of the braconid wasp
Alabagrus roibasi as an endoparasitoid (Jason Leathers and Michael Sharkey, Natural History Museum)
presence in Kentucky; list of 1 specimen record with date and location (Jeffrey Marcus, Western Kentucky U.)
presence in North Carolina; list citing 11 specimens in collection, including locally collected specimens (North Carolina State U.)
presence in Florida; list (John Heppner, Florida State Collection of Arthropods)
presence in Texas; list (James Gillaspy, U. of Texas)
