Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Chalcoela pegasalis (
Walker, 1859). Taxonomic notes:
First described in 1859 by
Francis Walker as
Cataclysta pegasalisExplanation of Names
"Pegasus" perhaps refers to the white mark on the forewing, resembling the raised wing of the mythical flying horse.
Identification
Adult: forewing brown in basal and terminal areas, and densely speckled with gray in median area; AM and PM lines white, thick; AM line either smoothly rounded or slightly wavy; PM line with large V-shaped lobe projecting toward outer margin; small but distinct white strip at apex; hindwing mostly speckled gray with two diffuse blackish patches in lower median area; central portion of fringe checkered with metallic blackish and pale scales, bordered proximally by a thick white strip
Range
southern Ontario and Maryland to Florida, east to Texas, north to Illinois
also occurs in Jamaica (where the type specimen was collected), the French Antilles, and perhaps elsewhere in the West Indies
Habitat
may be found around or sometimes in homes, or anywhere in the vicinity of Polistes wasp nests; adults are nocturnal and come to light
Season
adults fly from May to September
Food
larvae are
parasitoids, feeding on the larvae of paper wasps (
Polistes spp.)
Remarks
Larvae of a related species,
Chalcoela iphitalis, also feed on the larvae of
Polistes wasps, according to Pyralid expert Alma Solis in
this article.
See Also
Dicymolomia julianalis is similar but has orange on the hindwing, its forewing lines are dark and wavy, and it lacks a distinct white strip at the apex of the forewing (
compare images of both species and other related species by Jim Vargo at MPG)
Meal Moth (
Pyralis farinalis) has a similar pattern on the forewing but is larger and lacks the checkered metallic fringe on the hindwing
Ragweed Flower Moth (
Schinia rivulosa) also has a similar pattern on the forewing but is considerably larger and lacks the checkered metallic fringe on the hindwing
Print References
Walker, F. 1859. Deltoides. List spec. Lep. Ins. British Museum 16:
438Internet References
live and pinned adult images by various photographers, plus common name reference (Moth Photographers Group)
pinned adult image by John Glaser, plus flight season, distribution, and larval food [citing Rau, 1941, as a reference] (Larry Line, Maryland)
pinned adult image (James Adams, Dalton State College, Georgia)
presence in Jamaica and brief description of range (Matthew Barnes, Moths of Jamaica)
presence in Ontario; list with genus name misspelled "Chalocoela" (NHIC; Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources)
presence in South Carolina; list (Richard B. Dominick Moth and Butterfly Collection, U. of South Carolina)
presence in Florida; list (John Heppner, Florida State Collection of Arthropods)
presence in Texas recorded by Edward Knudson in Orange County, 23 August 1997; search on species "pegasalis" (Lepidopterists Society Season Summary, U. of Florida)
North Carolina State University Entomology Collection--16 pinned, but no specimens in collection from that state
