Species Digrammia colorata - Creosote Moth - Hodges#6381

6381

Creosote Caterpillar (larva)

Creosote Bush Caterpillar (larva)

Digrammia colorata (Grote, 1883)

Semiothisa colorata Grote, 1883

Synonyms

Cleora godmani Druce, 1892

Sciagraphia conarata Grossbeck, 1908

Phasiane davisata Cassino, 1928

Ferguson (2008) listed the forewing length. (1)

♂ 9-16 mm.

♀ 10-15 mm.

Adult - forewing ground color variably pale yellowish to grayish-brown, with sparse to heavy speckling mixed with yellowish or orangish scales; four dark marks along costa represent tops of AM, median, PM, and subterminal lines, which are otherwise faint or lacking; discal spot elliptical, paler or hollow in center, usually situated distal to dark marking where median line meets costa; diffuse dark gray band (sometimes mixed with orange) across subterminal area, and gray shading in terminal area; terminal line a series of black dashes; fringe checkered on all wings; hindwing grayish, heavily speckled, with dark circular discal spot. Ferguson notes that females are less heavily marked than males.(1)

Specimen identified by DNA analysis:

Larva - a twig mimic, supposedly able to mimic three distinct forms of the creosote bush: the young shoots, brown stems, and gray twigs.

California to Texas and Colorado. (2), (3), (4), (1)

Deserts with creosote bush.(1)

Adults fly nearly year round from February to November.(1)

Larvae feed on creosote bush (Larrea tridentata).(1)

Can be confused with the following:(1)

Digrammia pervolata

Rindgea parcata

Ferguson, D.C. 2008. The Moths of North America, Fascicle 17.2. The Wedge Entomological Research Foundation. p. 237, plate 6, figs. 9-12. (1)

Grote, A.R. 1883. New species and notes on structure of moths and genera. The Canadian Entomologist 15(1): 7.

Schramke, M.L. 1979. Biological control of Larrea Tridentata: insect fauna survey. (abstract)

Moth Photographers Group (4)

pinned adult image and foodplant (Bruce Walsh, Moths of Southeastern Arizona)

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD) (5)