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Species Idia gopheri - Gopher tortoise moth - Hodges#8336

Idia gopheri
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 Herminiinae (Litter Moths)
Genus Idia
Species gopheri (Gopher tortoise moth - Hodges#8336)
Hodges Number
8336
Other Common Names
Gopher tortoise noctuid moth
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Idia gopheri (Smith, 1899)
Epizeuxis gopheri Smith, 1899
Size
Smith (1899) listed the wingspan 28-30 mm.
Identification
Smith (1899) original description as Epizeuxis gopheri is online and linked in the print references.
Range
Wagner et al. (2011) reported Louisiana to Georgia and Florida. (1)
Heppner (2003) reported the range to include Georgia and Florida. (2)
Holotype from Crescent City, Florida.
Habitat
Armadillo and tortoise burrows. (1)
Heppner (2003) reported Idia gopheri is associated with Gopherus polyphemus (gopher tortoise). (2)
Season
Heppner (2003) reported January to May and October through December in Florida.(2)
Food
The larvae feed on scat and detritus. (1)
Remarks
Uncommon to rare. (3)
Print References
Davis, D.R. & E.G. Milstrey, 1988. Description and biology of Acrolophus pholeter, (Lepidoptera: Tineidae), a new moth commensal from gopher tortoise burrows in Florida. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 90: 164.
Smith, J.B. 1899. Description of the gopher moth. The Canadian Entomologist 31: 94.