Identification
forewing may be uniformly gray or light and dark gray with black AM and PM lines; AM line deeply bow-shaped; diffuse brown medial line may be present; PM line highly convoluted, merges with outer edge of reniform spot; ST line almost straight and has several pale dots; terminal line black, wavy
hindwing yellow or orange with 3 black wavy bands
Range
coastal dunes from Maine to Florida, and west to Mississippi; also occurs along shores of Great Lakes in Michigan and Wisconsin, plus a 1996 record from Minnesota at Wyoming Dunes Wildlife Management Area, and an old record from Ohio
Habitat
sand dunes along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts or shores of the Great Lakes; adults fly during the day
Season
adults fly from May to August
Food
only known food plant is Wooly Beach Heather (Hudsonia tomentosa), according to Dale Schweitzer; records for blueberry, cited in Covell's Guide (1984) actually refer to a sibling species, Drasteria occulta
See Also
the AM line of
Drasteria occulta has a more angular L shape, and its ST line is merely a boundary (not a distinct line with pale dots) between the blackish subterminal area and the light gray terminal area (see
photos by Hugh McGuinness at MPG)
the AM lines of
Drasteria adumbrata and
grandirena are not bow-shaped, and their wings show other differences (
see images of both species)
Internet References
live adult image and other info (Steve Walter, New York)
historical record from Ohio; PDF doc 2 specimens [listed as
Syndeda graphica] collected in 1882 (Ohio State U.)
