Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Proteoteras aesculana Riley, 1881
(1) Explanation of Names
Specific epithet from the genus of one of the host plants (
Aesculus).
(1)Identification
Adult - forewing mottled brown or gray and yellowish (often with greenish tint in fresh specimens); irregular blackish crescent-shaped marking begins mid-way along costa and either breaks in subterminal area or terminates in a dark blob before reaching apex; hindwing pale gray with dark veins.
Genitalia:
♀
Larva - body pale white to gray; head dark brown or yellowish-brown; thoracic shield yellowish-brown, often darker laterally and posteriorly; spinules on integument moderately dense and dark.
Range
Nova Scotia to British Columbia and all of United States.
Habitat
Deciduous woods containing maple; adults are nocturnal and come to light.
Season
Adults emerge in July and August.
(2)Food
Larvae bore in new twigs, petioles, and seeds of various maple species (
Acer), buckeye (
Aesculus) and sometimes apple.
(3)See Also
Black-cresecent Proteoteras (
P. crescentana) forewing is paler, and crescent-shaped marking is continuous to apex.
Gray-flanked Proteoteras (
P. moffatiana) forewing is more extensively green, and the moth flies only in summer (vs. spring through fall in
aesculana).
Print References
Riley, C.V., 1881. Descriptions of some new Tortricidae (leaf-rollers).
Transactions of the Academy of Science of St. Louis 4:
321.
(1)Internet References
Moth Photographers Group - species page with photos of live and pinned adults.
BOLD - Barcode of Life Data Systems - species account with photograph of pinned adult and DNA sequence.