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.
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.
Food
Larvae bore in new twigs, petioles, and seeds of various maple species (
Acer), buckeye (
Aesculus) and sometimes apple.
(2)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 later in the season (mostly June to August).
Other species of Proteoteras also fly later (June and July) than 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.