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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Owlet Moths and kin (Noctuoidea) » Owlet Moths (Noctuidae) » Balsinae » Balsa » Three-lined Balsa - Hodges#9663 (Balsa tristrigella)

Species Balsa tristrigella - Three-lined Balsa - Hodges#9663

Classification · Hodges Number · Explanation of Names · Size · Identification · Range · Season · Food · Internet References
A Balsa sp. - Balsa tristrigella Three-lined Balsa Moth - Balsa tristrigella Caterpillar - Balsa tristrigella genitalia - Balsa tristrigella - male Balsa tristrigella Balsa tristrigella Balsa tristrigella Balsa tristrigella
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 Balsinae
Genus Balsa
Species tristrigella (Three-lined Balsa - Hodges#9663)
Hodges Number
9663
Explanation of Names
TRISTRIGELLA: from "tri" (three) + "striga" (a furrow, channel, or groove) - a reference to the AM and double PM lines, which together form three short lines along the costa
Size
wingspan about 25-30 mm
Identification
forewing light gray, shading to brownish in distal third; several thin black lines run longitudinally along wing, becoming thicker in distal half; Antemedial (AM) line short, distinct only near the costa; Postmedial (PM) line double, running obliquely part-way to the outer margin, the more basal of these lines is thicker and straighter than the more distal line
hindwing pale yellowish-gray with thin dark terminal line, sometimes faint
Range
eastern North America
Season
adults fly from May to August
Food
larvae feed on hawthorn (Crataegus spp.)
Internet References
live adult image plus description and other info (Lynn Scott, Ontario)
adult images (Larry Line, Maryland)
pinned adult image (CBIF)
common name reference and other info (Ohio State U.)
adult images (Bob Patterson's MPG page)
Contributed by Robin McLeod on 18 June, 2005 - 9:06am
Additional contributions by Tony-2, tom murray, Jason D. Roberts
Last updated 24 January, 2020 - 12:56pm

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