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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Owlet Moths and kin (Noctuoidea) » Owlet Moths (Noctuidae) » Cutworm or Dart Moths (Noctuinae) » Apameini » Borer Moths (Papaipema) » Vernonia Borer - Hodges#9507 (Papaipema limpida)

Species Papaipema limpida - Vernonia Borer - Hodges#9507

Classification · Hodges Number · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Season · Food · See Also · Internet References

Noctuidae: Papaipema sciata - Papaipema limpida

Noctuidae: Papaipema - Papaipema limpida

Papaipema reared from Vernonia Baldwinii roots - Papaipema limpida

Show images of: caterpillars · adults · both

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)

Superfamily Noctuoidea (Owlet Moths and kin)

Family Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)

Subfamily Noctuinae (Cutworm or Dart Moths)

Tribe Apameini

Genus Papaipema (Borer Moths)

Species limpida (Vernonia Borer - Hodges#9507)

Hodges Number

9507

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

described in 1852 by Guenee, who originally placed it in genus Gortyna

Size

wingspan about 31 mm, based on photo by Jim Vargo at MPG

Identification

Adult: FW dark brownish-gray with a line of 3 white spots in AM area and a cluster of white spots representing the reniform spot (in each case, the central spot is usually pale yellowish); PM line fairly smooth, gently curving near costa, straighter and paler near inner margin; no pale spots at base of wing; area beyond PM line slightly more grayish than remainder of wing; HW dirty white to pale brownish-gray, much paler than FW

Range

eastern United States: Oklahoma to North Carolina, north to Illinois and Michigan; type specimen collected in Illinois

Habitat

weedy areas where larval foodplant grows; adults are nocturnal and come to light

Season

adults fly from late August to October

Food

larvae have been reported to feed within stems of burdock (Arctium spp.) and Giant Ironweed (Vernonia gigantea [=altissima])

See Also

Culver's Root Borer (Papaipema sciata) forewing has a slightly different pattern of white spots, the species is less common than P. limpida, and its larvae feed on stems of Culver's Root (Veronicastrum virginicum)

Other Papaipema species have a paler forewing and/or pale spots at base of forewing -- compare adult images of several species in MPG Internet References below

Internet References

pinned adult image and photos of related species by Jim Wiker, plus common name reference (Moth Photographers Group)

presence in Oklahoma; PDF doc list (John Fisher, Oklahoma)

Contributed by Robin McLeod on 24 April, 2008 - 10:24pm
Additional contributions by Robert Lord Zimlich
Last updated 23 September, 2015 - 9:21am

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