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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Owlet Moths and kin (Noctuoidea) » Erebidae » Tiger and Lichen Moths (Arctiinae) » Tiger Moths (Arctiini) » Arctiina » Apantesis » Phyllira Tiger Moth - Hodges#8194 (Apantesis phyllira)

Species Apantesis phyllira - Phyllira Tiger Moth - Hodges#8194

Classification · Hodges Number · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Season · Food · Remarks · See Also · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited
8196 Parthenice Tiger Moth - Apantesis phyllira - male Virgin Tiger Moth - Hodges#8197 - Apantesis phyllira - male Phyllira Tiger Moth - Hodges#8194 - Apantesis phyllira Erebidae: Grammia phyllira - Apantesis phyllira Grammia phyllira - Apantesis phyllira Moth to black light - Apantesis phyllira - male Apantesis phyllira Apantesis phyllira
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 Noctuoidea (Owlet Moths and kin)
Family Erebidae
Subfamily Arctiinae (Tiger and Lichen Moths)
Tribe Arctiini (Tiger Moths)
Subtribe Arctiina
Genus Apantesis
Species phyllira (Phyllira Tiger Moth - Hodges#8194)
Hodges Number
8194
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
described in 1773 by Drury, who originally placed it in genus Phalaena
Size
Wingspan 34-40 mm
Identification
Adult: similar to G. parthenice, G. phyllira has a less robust body, deeper pink shade of the hindwing, and the antemedial forewing band is vertical (perpendicular to the inner margin), not perpendicular to the costa as in parthenice. (U. of Alberta)
Range
Eastern North America
Habitat
Fields, etc. with host plants
Season
May-September
Food
Larvae feed on corn, lupine, tobacco, and other herbs.
Adults probably do not feed.
Remarks
G. oithona was once considered a separate species, but is now being treated as a western population of Grammia phyllira, sometimes listed as Grammia phyllira 'oithona'.
See Also
Similar to G. placentia.

Also sometimes confused with G. parthenice. The distinctions are as follows:

On the FW of G. parthenice the transverse line (pale bar) at the end of the discal cell is bent toward costa, whereas phyllira has a straight transverse line leaning more toward the apex. The AM band of the FW of phyllira is perpendicular to the inner margin, whereas in parthenice it is perpendicular to the costa.

Also, phyllira has deeper pinkish red hindwings than parthenice, whose hindwings are a lighter salmon color. The thin lines (which are veins with light colored scaling) can be present or absent in phyllira. G. parthenice also has a fairly thick pale fringe (concolorous with transverse lines) on the outer margin of FW, whereas phyllira does not.

Lastly, parthenice has a strong pale border (concolorous with transverse lines) along the entire FW inner margin (even merging with terminal fringe), whereas in phyllira this border tapers off just past half way from the base, before reaching the FW tornus.
Print References
Covell, p. 71, plate 15 #1 (1)
Internet References
Moth Photographers Group: Species Page - Images of pinned & live adults
Barcode of Life (BOLD)
University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum - Image of pinned adult with description/bio
All-Leps - Images of pinned adults & map of sample collection points
Moths of North Dakota - Image of pinned adult with description/bio
The Grammia complex in North Dakota - Discussion of Grammia including phyllira and related species with photos
author, date, and original genus (nearctica.com)
Works Cited
1.Field Guide to Moths of Eastern North America
Charles V. Covell, Jr. 2005.
Contributed by Cotinis on 11 August, 2004 - 8:16pm
Additional contributions by Robin McLeod, anitagould, Jason D. Roberts, Steve Morris
Last updated 13 September, 2022 - 2:32pm

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