Species Protodeltote muscosula - Large Mossy Lithacodia - Hodges#9047

9047

Protodeltote muscosula (Guenée, 1852)

Lithacodia muscosula (Guenée, 1852)

Erastria muscosula Guenée, 1852

Phylogenetic sequence # 931290 (1)

MUSCOSULA: from the Latin "muscus" (moss) + [possibly] the Greek "oula" (gums)

moss gums? What might that refer to? In Tom Murray's photo, if the claviform spots are interpreted as eyes on a face, and the whitish subterminal area is seen as a set of teeth, you could say this species has "mossy gums" - and a black moustache to boot! (even if this interpretation is wrong, it provides a good way of remembering the species epithet)

Wingspan 19-23 mm

Forewing whitish, heavily shaded with grayish-brown (olive-tinted in fresh specimens) and streaked with black; lines broken, blackish; reniform spot partially outlined in white; lower terminal area often white

hindwing light grayish.

[description adapted from Charles Covell]

Nova Scotia to Florida, west to Arizona, north to Manitoba

The adults fly from May to September or October.

The larvae feed on swamp grasses, especially saw grass.

Species epithet sometimes misspelled "musculosa".

Small Mossy Lithacodia (L. musta) is smaller, forewing more greenish with less white, and reniform spot rounder, more conspicuous.

Moth Photographers Group (2)

live adult images and larval food plants (Larry Line, Maryland)

Moths of Southeastern Arizona (3)

The Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD) (4)