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For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
Photo#319407
Lichen-patterned caterpillar - Zale

Lichen-patterned caterpillar - Zale
Winchendon, Massachusetts, USA
August 7, 2009
On the trunk of a red maple in a red maple swamp, near a patch of lichen that looked very much like the caterpillar. There was another one on a birch trunk nearby. I'm pretty sure it's a noctuid, but haven't been able to find a perfect match.

Images of this individual: tag all
Lichen-patterned caterpillar - Zale Lichen-patterned caterpillar - Zale

Moved
Moved from Underwings.

New thought
See what you think about Zale calycanthata, Owlets pg 183

 
Hmm...
I don't know. I see the "lichen form" Catocala ilia on p. 98, and the mention on p. 130 that similar "lichen forms" also occur (rarely) in the genus Zale; I wish we had a photo of a lichen form of Zale calycanthata (if such a thing exists) to compare. Maybe this should be moved to Erebinae for now.

 
Laci is looking into this also
We'll move it one way or the other once we hear from her.

Moved