Species Drepanulatrix foeminaria - Hodges#6686

6686

original combination Selidosema foeminaria Guenée, 1857 (1)

wingspan 26-31 mm

Adult: male antennae pectinate (feathery); forewing brown or brownish-gray speckled with black; discal spot tiny, black, sometimes white-margined; subterminal area usually with line of black dots or dark shading; numerous short dark perpendicular streaks along costa; terminal line composed of several black dots, sometimes lacking; apex pointed, may be slightly falcate (i.e. outer margin concave near tip) in some individuals; thorax same color as forewing

hindwing color varies from slightly lighter than forewing to pale brownish-white, and either heavily or sparsely speckled; fringes of all wings light to medium brown or gray

Larva: body light green with several thin whitish dorsal stripes; lateral stripe yellow with ragged edges; spiracles orange

Utah to California, north to British Columbia

forest edges and clearings containing larval food plant; adults are nocturnal and attracted to light

adults fly in spring

larvae from June to August

larvae feed only on leaves of New Jersey Tea (Ceanothus spp.)

Apodrepanulatrix litaria is similar but slightly larger [wingspan 31-34 mm] with dark hindwings, and flies in late summer and fall (see live adult image and two pinned specimens)

Drepanulatrix monicaria, which overlaps widely in CA.

Also see other other Drepanulatrix species, and other genera in the tribe Caberini.

pinned adult image plus description, food plants, flight season, similar species (Jeff Miller, Macromoths of Northwest Forests and Woodlands; USGS)

pinned adult images of three specimens, showing variation in color and pattern (CBIF)

live larva image plus description, food plant, seasonality (Oregon State U.)

presence in Utah; list (Joel Johnson, Utah Lepidopterists Society)

presence in California; list (U. of California at Berkeley)

presence in British Columbia; list (CBIF)