Species Cerastis salicarum - Willow Dart - Hodges#10996

10996

formerly Metalepsis salicarum

SALICARUM: perhaps a reference to the willow genus Salix, the presumed larval food plant, and origin of the common name Willow Dart

apparently uncommon, judging from the small amount of info and records on the web

wingspan 30-40 mm

V-shaped medial line on forewing is most noticeable feature, bordered basally by light brown area, and distally by dark brown (the line appears as a W-shape in moths at rest with wings held together over back); transverse ridge of raised scales in basal area gives the appearance of a "moth with shoulder pads"; claviform spot dark brown, cone-shaped, very conspicuous, descending from double AM line; subterminal area dark, bordered basally by pale ST line

coast to coast in southern Canada (plus Northwest Territories) and northern United States, south in the east to Maryland

adults fly from late March/early April to late May/early June

larvae presumably feed on willow (Salix spp.)

overwinters in pupa stage; adults emerge in spring

Metalepsis is now considered a subgenus of Cerastis (see Crabo and Lafontaine)

Pacific Northwest Moths

Moth Photographers Group