Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Diachrysia balluca Geyer, 1832
Plusia balluca
Phytometra balluca
* phylogenetic sequence #931179
Numbers
Uncommon; one of two species in this genus in North America.
Size
Forewing length 20-25 mm (Pogue, 2005)
(1)Identification
Adult - forewing with large, highly-metallic rectangular green patch bordering inner margin (may look brown or bronze under certain lighting); basal area and strip along costa light gray; reniform spot brown with pale dot on each side; wing apex pointed. Hindwing uniformly brown with yellow fringe.
Range
Nova Scotia to Manitoba; south to Pennsylvania and Minnesota (no specimens seen from Southeastern United States) (Eichlin & Cunningham, 1978). Type location from Georgia and one Florida record from Kimble in 1965 possibly represent strays (Pogue, 2005).
(1)Season
Adults fly from June to September.
Food
Larvae feed on hops (Humulus lupulus), trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides), wood nettle (Laportea canadensis), and raspberry (Rubus spp.) (E.H. Strickland Museum).
See Also
Superficially similar to
Virginia Creeper Sphinx (Darapsa myron) which is larger and has a more sinuate outer margin of forewing.
Print References
Eichlin, T. D. & H. B. Cunningham 1978. The Plusiinae (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) of America north of Mexico, emphasizing genitalic and larval morphology. USDA Tech. Bulletin 1567: 1-122 (
PDF)
(2)
Lafontaine, J. D. & R. W. Poole 1991. Moths of America North of Mexico, Fascicle 25.1: p.62; pl.1.26
Pogue, M. G. 2005. The Plusiinae (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Zootaxa 1032: 1–28 (
PDF)
(1)Internet References
live adult image (Al Sinclair, Ontario)
pinned adult image (Insects of Quebec)
larval foodplants and flight season (Ohio State U.)