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Photo#404150
leaf folder - NW defoliator - Herpetogramma abdominalis

leaf folder - NW defoliator - Herpetogramma abdominalis
Puyallup, Pierce County, Washington, USA
June 2, 2010
Size: around an inch
These are eating parts of my Rudbeckia. I've collected two of them. Hopefully, I can raise them successfully.

Here is what Eric Lagasa had to say about this larva:
"Possibly . . .
If the folded-leaf refuge this critter created was noticeably full of frass (very messy and ugly), it suggests the species involved is the Pyralid - Herpetogramma pertextalis. The larva in your image is definitely a Pyralidae/Crambidae (with all those raised verrucae (warts) on the body), and H pertextalis is very abundant at times on a huge range of host plants (native and exotic ornamental species) in Western WA. If the refuge was full of frass (which you would have noticed), not only is it likely H pertextalis, but if you look around on filbert, strawberries, violets (and other odd plants) around the site where you got this one, you'll probably find more of it on other plants (confirming the species, eh?)."

The leaf is full of messy frass... so ID seems likely. I'm still hoping to raise it to adult.

Images of this individual: tag all
leaf folder - NW defoliator - Herpetogramma abdominalis leaf folder - NW defoliator - Herpetogramma abdominalis leaf folder - NW defoliator - Herpetogramma abdominalis leaf folder - NW defoliator - Herpetogramma abdominalis leaf folder - NW defoliator - Herpetogramma abdominalis

Moved

Herpetogramma thestealis?
Nice series!

The adult seems to key to Herpetogramma thestealis per Solis (2010)(1). Same for your other similar submission. Would it be possible to ask Eric Lagasa to take another look?

Solis mentions that no internal differences were found with thestealis, pertextalis, and abdominalis and indicated a possible future synonym if I understand correctly. BOLD placing these three species in two overlapping BINS which seems to support that possibility.

 
Steve
I trust your judgement. Go ahead and move if it keys to thestealis.

Thanks!

 
Misplaced Trust
I meant H. abdominalis. Sorry about that. Grabbed the wrong name.

H. abdominalis: "Hind wing terminal line, if present, light brown or beige, not prominent; forewing basal line light brown or beige, not prominent and/or incomplete"(1)
H. pertextalis: "Hind wing terminal line dark brown and prominent; forewing basal line dark brown and entire width prominent"(1)
H. thestealis: "Forewing with high contrast between dark brown or beige marginal shade and basal areas" (1)

Moved

Moved
Moved from Moths.