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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Owlet Moths and kin (Noctuoidea) » Owlet Moths (Noctuidae) » Looper Moths (Plusiinae) » Plusiini » Euchalciina » Pitcherplant Moths (Exyra) » Exyra ridingsii - Hodges#9023 (Exyra ridingsii)

Species Exyra ridingsii - Hodges#9023

Classification · Hodges Number · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Season · Food · See Also · Print References · Internet References

Pitcherplant moth caterpillar - Exyra ridingsii

Show images of: caterpillars · adults · both

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)

Superfamily Noctuoidea (Owlet Moths and kin)

Family Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)

Subfamily Plusiinae (Looper Moths)

Tribe Plusiini

Subtribe Euchalciina

Genus Exyra (Pitcherplant Moths)

Species ridingsii (Exyra ridingsii - Hodges#9023)

Hodges Number

9023

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

Exyra ridingsii (Riley, 1874)

Xanthoptera ridingsii Riley, 1874

Exyra nigrocaput

* phylogenetic sequence #931190

Size

wingspan 24-31 mm; average 30 mm

Identification

Adults - forewing typically light yellow with 3 dark brown bands across basal two-thirds of wing, and distal third of wing dark brown; some individuals have only 2 or 1 dark band(s), accompanied by a larger amount of solid brown; hindwing dull yellow basally, dark brown distally in typical form, or completely dark in some individuals; top of head and anterior portion of thorax blackish with V-shaped posterior margin; posterior portion of thorax light yellow.

Range

North Carolina to Florida and Alabama.

Habitat

Bogs and damp areas where hostplant grows; adults may be found resting inside the tanks of Yellow Pitcherplants.

Season

Adults fly in spring.

Food

larvae feed mainly on the leaves of Yellow Pitcherplant (Sarracenia flava) and sometimes Sarracenia minor.

See Also

Exyra semicrocea forewing is bright yellow in basal half, and dark gray in distal half.

The Half-Yellow (Tarachidia semiflava) has no black on the top of the head and thorax.

Print References

Lafontaine, J. D. & R. W. Poole 1991. Moths of America North of Mexico, Fascicle 25.1: p.77; pl.1.51-52

Internet References

Moth Photographers Group - species pahe

adult illustration [fig 19] by Hampson (U. of Massachusetts)

synonyms and distribution plus food plant and links to images, references (Markku Savela, FUNET)

Contributed by Robin McLeod on 9 January, 2006 - 9:42am
Additional contributions by cotinis, Hannah Nendick-Mason, Randy Hardy
Last updated 28 February, 2013 - 9:53pm

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