Numbers
one of 5 species in the genus
Gnophaela in North America listed at
All-LepsSize
Wingspan about 54 mm, based on photo by Jeff Miller at USGS
Identification
Adult: all black except for large white spots on wings [similar to other species in the genus; see Genus page for links to comparison photos of all five North American species]
Larva: yellow with uniformly-distributed patches of black hairs that partly obscure the yellow ground color
Range
Western United States and southwestern Canada: British Columbia to California, east to New Mexico, north to Manitoba
Habitat
Typically foothills, mountain ranges, mid-elevations
Season
Adults fly during the day in late summer, July-August (Alberta)
Food
Larvae feed on bluebells [lungwort] (Mertensia spp.), puccoon (Lithospermum spp.) and stickseed (Hackelia spp.).
Adults feed during the day on nectar of herbaceous flowers such as thistle (Cirsium spp.) and goldenrod (Solidago spp.)
See Also
adults of other species in the genus have similar color and pattern [see Genus page for links to images and distribution maps of the four other North American species]
Internet References
Weaselhead College adult image and info (Calgary, Alberta)
pinned adult image by Paul Opler, plus US distribution map (butterfliesandmoths.org)
Macromoths of Northwest Forests and Woodlands pinned adult image plus description, distribution, foodplant (Jeff Miller, USGS)
North Dakota State Univ. key to Arctiidae of the Dakotas (Gerald Fauske)
pinned adult image plus common name references, habitat, flight season, description, foodplants, distribution (Strickland Entomological Museum, U. of Alberta)
distribution in Canada list of provinces (U. of Alberta, using CBIF data)
