Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
 

Clickable Guide

Interactive image map to choose major taxa Moths Butterflies Flies Caterpillars Flies Dragonflies Flies Mantids Cockroaches Bees and Wasps Walkingsticks Earwigs Ants Termites Hoppers and Kin Hoppers and Kin Beetles True Bugs Fleas Grasshoppers and Kin Ticks Spiders Scorpions Centipedes Millipedes

Calendar

Upcoming Events

National Moth Week was July 19-27, and the Summer 2025 gathering in Louisiana, July 19-27

Photos of insects and people from the 2024 BugGuide gathering in Idaho July 24-27

Moth submissions from National Moth Week 2024

Photos of insects and people from the 2022 BugGuide gathering in New Mexico, July 20-24

Photos of insects and people from the Spring 2021 gathering in Louisiana, April 28-May 2

Photos of insects and people from the 2019 gathering in Louisiana, July 25-27

Species Polychrysia esmeralda - Hodges#8901

Representative Images

New Noctuid Moth- Polychrysia esmeralda - Polychrysia esmeralda - female Delphinium Leaftier - Polychrysia esmeralda Polychrysia esmeralda - Polychrysia esmeralda Polychrysia esmeralda Moth - Polychrysia esmeralda
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 Plusiinae (Looper Moths)
Tribe Plusiini
Subtribe Euchalciina
Genus Polychrysia
Species esmeralda (Polychrysia esmeralda - Hodges#8901)

Hodges Number

8901

Explanation of Names

Polychrysia esmeralda (Oberthür, 1880)
Plusia esmeralda Oberthür, 1880
Deva trabea Smith, 1895
* phylogenetic sequence #931182

Size

forewing length 1.5-1.8 cm (Powell & Opler, 2009)(1)

Range

Alaska south and west across the Canadian prairies to Saskatchewan (Powell & Opler, 2009).

Habitat

Lush meadows and woodland edges in the mountains and foothills, and in flower gardens (E.H. Strickland Museum).

Food

Larvae feed on monkshood (Aconitum sp.) and larkspurs (Delphinium sp.), and are pests on these plants in Edmonton. Adults will visit fireweed (Chamerion sp.) blossoms for nectar (E.H. Strickland Museum).

Life Cycle

Larvae appear around late April or May and burrow into the growing leader of the host plant, causing considerable damage. The spun cocoon made out of fine, gold silk (E.H. Strickland Museum).

Remarks

Adults are easily caught by hand when visiting flowers (E.H. Strickland Museum).

Print References

Lafontaine, J. D. & R. W. Poole 1991. Moths of America North of Mexico, Fascicle 25.1: p.67; pl.1.30-32
Powell, J. A. & P. A. Opler 2009. Moths of Western North America, Pl.49.30f; p.278

Internet References

E.H. Strickland Museum - species page
Moth Photographers Group - species page

Works Cited

1.Moths of Western North America
Powell and Opler. 2009. UC Press.
Contributed by Ted Kropiewnicki on 9 November, 2008 - 3:31am
Additional contributions by Randy Hardy
Last updated 2 March, 2013 - 9:44pm

Disclaimer: Dedicated naturalists volunteer their time and resources here to provide this service. We strive to provide accurate information, but we are mostly just amateurs attempting to make sense of a diverse natural world. If you need expert professional advice, contact your local extension office.

Contributors own the copyright to and are solely responsible for contributed content.
Click the contributor's name for licensing and usage information.
Everything else copyright © 2003-2025 Iowa State University, unless otherwise noted.

Bugguide is hosted by:

Plant Pathology, Entomology and Microbiology at Iowa State University logo

Printer Friendly Version 		Terms of Use
Privacy Statement
Site Map
Contact