Herpetogramma - Herpetogramma abdominalis

Thanks, Hugh

Title changed and image moved from Crambid Snout Moths to Herpetogramma abdominalis page.

I think the original confusion came from mislabeled photos at MPG but they have since been cleaned up, and the relevant links below are now dead. We're hopefully getting back on track but there may be some more mis-IDed photos at BugGuide here.

… Robin McLeod, 9 June, 2008 - 8:47pm

Herpetogramm

This photo is definitely NOT Ostrinia, and is Herpetogramma as suggested by Robin. However the photo pertains to the species abdominalis, not pertextalis. Note the light colored (orangish brown) costa and the white background, which in pertextalis would be dark brown and tannish white, respectively.

It would be good if the administrators at Bugguide would remove the suggestion of O. obumbratalis from the page, so a Google search of that species doesn't find this photo and add confusion to this difficult group of Pyralids.

Hugh

… Hugh McGuinness, 9 June, 2008 - 10:04am

Ostrinia obumbratalis

Made the same mistake on one I found in ME. I fairly sure it's Ostrinia obumbratalis, Hodges 4947 - Smartweed Borer Moth. Try here and here.

… Steve Nanz, 14 December, 2005 - 4:12am

Ostrinia

Steve

Sorry to take so long to reply. Thanks for commenting on this photo, I believe you are correct.

… David Bree, 26 March, 2006 - 9:26am

something's not right

I agree that this photo looks like the live images labeled Ostrinia obumbratalis in the links Steve gave, but I suspect that those images are mislabeled. They look very similar to the live images at MPG labeled Herpetogramma pertextalis (whose adults rest with their forewings spread), and quite different from MPG's live images of other Ostrinia species (whose adults rest with their forewings closed).

My guess is that your photo and MPG's "O. obumbratalis" images are species of Herpetogramma, near pertextalis.

… Robin McLeod, 27 April, 2006 - 9:45pm