Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Hypoprepia miniata (Kirby)
Orig. Comb: Lithosia miniata Kirby, 1837
Calligenia miniata
Gnophria vittata Harris, 1841
* phylogenetic sequence #930204
Explanation of Names
miniata (L). "colored with red lead or vermilion"
(2) Numbers
Four species of
Hypoprepia are found in America north of Mexico.
(3)Size
Forewing length 14-17 mm.
(4)Identification
The separation of
Hypoprepia miniata and closely related
H. fucosa has been vastly oversimplified in literature and field guides. See this
iNaturalist post for an overview of the problem.
Adult - forewing ground color entirely red; two broad dark gray stripes extend longitudinally along wing, with another shorter stripe between them at outer margin; hindwing red with broad dark terminal band (usually broader than the band seen in H. fucosa) or absent in some southern specimens.
Larva - dusky, sparsely covered with thick, barbed black bristles. See Dyar (1892) in Print References for description of first instar larva. See Scott (2010) for Jason Dombroskie photo (p.3, f.12) of feeding larva.
(1)Habitat
Dry open woodlands, especially Jack Pine (and in the west, Lodgepole Pine) forests; adults are nocturnal and come to light.
Season
mostly: May-Sept (BG data)
Food
Larvae feed on lichens and is often found under loose stones and on trunks of trees.
(1)Life Cycle
Overwinters as a larva in a thin silky cocoon.
(1)See Also
Three more similar looking moths:
H. fucosa (Painted Lichen Moth), forewing has extensive yellow (
compare images of both species at CBIF)
Hypoprepia cadaverosa at Moth Photographer Group
Haematomis uniformis at Moth Photographers Group
Print References
Comstock, J.H, A.B. Comstock & G.W. Herrick 1931. A manual for the study of insects (20th Edition). The Comstock Publishing Company.
p.245-246 (1)
Dyar, H.G. 1892. Egg and Larva of two Lithosians. Entomological news, and proceedings of the Entomological Section of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 3:
246
Holland, W.J. 1915. The Moth Book: a popular guide to the knowledge of the moths of North America. Doubleday, Page & Company.
p.106,
pl.8, f.41
(5)
Lafontaine, J.D. & B.C. Schmidt 2010. Annotated check list of the Noctuoidea (Insecta, Lepidoptera) of North America North of Mexico. p.15
(3)
Powell, J.A. & P.A. Opler 2009. Moths of Western North America. University of California Press. p.266, pl.46.30, 46.31
(4)
Scott, C. 2010. Black and yellow lichen moth (suggested common name)
Lycomorpha pholus (Drury) (Insecta: Lepidoptera: Noctuidae: Arctiinae: Lithosiini). University of Florida EENY 479: 1-5, f.1-17 (
PDF)
Internet References
live adult images (Lynn Scott, Ontario)
distribution in Canada list of provinces (U. of Alberta, using CBIF data)
Discussion on iNaturalist of the complexities of separating
H. fucosa and
H. miniata.
