Species Enargia infumata - Smoked Sallow - Hodges#9550

9550

Birch-Aspen Noctuid (Pembroke Area Field Naturalists, Ontario)

described in 1874 by Grote, who originally placed it in genus Orthosia

once thought to be conspecific with the Angle-striped Sallow (Enargia paleacea) from Eurasia, but now considered a separate species

includes as a synonym the Lesser-eyed Sallow (Enargia mephisto)

INFUMATA: from the Latin "infumatus", past participle of "infumare" (to smoke; to cure or dry by smoking)

In entomology, "infumate" means having a brownish-black color as though from being smoked or infumated; probably refers to the dark brown markings on the adult forewing, and is the origin of the suggested common name Smoked Sallow

Adult: forewing yellowish with light reddish-brown speckling; AM and PM lines brown, distinct; AM line with sharp angle in middle; orbicular and reniform spots solid yellowish; dark brown or black spot at lower end of reniform spot; brown band on either side of reniform spot forms a shallow "V" in median area; hindwing pale yellowish with faint PM line and grayish subterminal band

genitalia

Alaska to Newfoundland, south in the east to New England states, and south in the west to New Mexico, Arizona, California

mixedwood and deciduous forest, aspen parkland, woodlots

adults fly from June to September

larvae feed on leaves of Trembling Aspen, Balsam Poplar, White Birch, and willow (Salix spp.)

Not to be confused with the Angle-striped Sallow (Enargia paleacea), a Eurasian species [ 1, 2, 3, 4 ] virtually identical to E. infumata and once thought to be conspecific, but now considered a separate species.

Pale Enargia (Enargia decolor) forewing has no dark spot at lower end of reniform spot.

Enargia fausta is yellower in color and has more contrasting AM and PM lines.

Moth Photographers Group

Pacific Northwest Moths

Barcode of Life (BOLD)

Christian Schmidt's Revision of the genus Enargia

live adult and larva images and other info (Jeremy Tatum, Butterflies and Moths of Southern Vancouver Island)