Species Xanthopastis regnatrix - Spanish Moth - Hodges#10640

10640

Convict Caterpillar (larva)

syn. Xanthopastis timais of authors, not Cramer, [1780])

Phylogenetic sequence # 933210

Xanthopastis timais was recognized as the senior synonym of regatrix by Poole (1989) in Lepidopterum Catalogus - Noctuidae, and more recently by Lafontaine and Schmidt (2010) in their checklist of Noctuoidea of North America. However a published revision to the checklist in 2011 (citation below) updated the status of Xanthopastis in North America, removing the name X. timais for our the North American species, indicating there are at least 6 species in the genus. X. timais is restricted to South America.

Wingspan 39-45 mm

Adult: hairy black body and pink forewing with black markings (forewing may be mostly white or mostly yellowish - see images under Internet References below); subterminal line composed of several yellow spots; reniform spot outlined in yellow; hindwing uniformly dark gray

Larva: vertical black and white stripes

se US: TX-FL-SC-KY - Map (MPG)

larvae feed on spider lily (Liliaceae) and amaryllis and narcissus (Amaryllidaceae); also reported on figs (Ficus spp.) in continental US; larvae have been reared on "iceberg" lettuce

common in Florida; rare elsewhere in United States.

Moth Photographers Group - MPG

pinned adult image

University of Florida