Species Enargia decolor - Pale Enargia - Hodges#9549

9549

Aspen Twoleaf Tier (larva)

Enargia decolor (Walker, 1858)

Mythimna decolor Walker, 1858

* phylogenetic sequence #932674

Wingspan 30-40 mm.

Larva to 32 mm (Comstock, 1937).

Pupa 19 mm (Comstock, 1937).

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; no dark spot at lower end of reniform spot (a diagnostic feature); brown band on either side of reniform spot forms a shallow "V" in median area; hindwing cream-colored with faint grayish subterminal band.

British Columbia to Nova Scotia, south in the east to Ohio, south in the west to California.

Woodlands, parks, river flood plains where hostplants grow.

Adults fly from July to September. Larvae present from May to August.

Larvae feed on leaves of poplar (Populus spp.). Comstock found them feeding on quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) in the Arizona mountains.

Newly-hatched larvae begin feeding on inner side of rolled-up leaf, then feed on outside; older larvae construct flattened cases made from two leaves bound together with silk webbing (hence the name Twoleaf Tier); fully mature larvae fall to the ground and pupate; overwinters as an egg; one generation per year.

Larva; larva; adult

Smoked Sallow (Enargia infumata) forewing reniform spot has dark spot at lower end, lacking in E. decolor; Lesser Eyed Sallow (E. mephisto) forewing has indistinct markings, is less yellow/more brown, and has dark spot at lower end of reniform spot

Moth Photographers Group - species page

Pacific Northwest Moths

distribution in Canada; list of provinces of occurrence (U. of Alberta, using CBIF data)