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Species Syssphinx bisecta - Bisected Honey Locust Moth - Hodges#7712

Representative Images

Yellow and Pink Mystery Moth - Syssphinx bisecta - male Bisected Honey Locust Moth - Syssphinx bisecta - male Bisected Honey Locust Moth - Syssphinx bisecta - male Bisected Honey Locust Moth - Syssphinx bisecta MothBisectedHoneyLocust_Sphingicampa_bisecta 08162017_GS_ - Syssphinx bisecta moth - Syssphinx bisecta Bisected Honey Locust Moth? - Syssphinx bisecta Bisected Honey Locust Moth - Syssphinx bisecta
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 Bombycoidea (Silkworm, Sphinx, and Royal Moths)
Family Saturniidae (Giant Silkworm and Royal Moths)
Subfamily Ceratocampinae (Royal Moths)
Genus Syssphinx
Species bisecta (Bisected Honey Locust Moth - Hodges#7712)

Hodges Number

7712

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

formerly Syssphinx bisecta

Explanation of Names

Species name bisecta refers to the straight pm line (1).

Size

Wingpsan 53-75 mm

Identification

Similar to Syssphinx bicolor, but pm line straight and reaches costa at apex (2).

Range

Midwestern United States: southern Michigan, Ohio, to Mississippi, west to Iowa, Kansas, south to Texas, northern Georgia. Most common in Ohio Valley. May occur sporadically just east of the Appalachians.

Habitat

Deciduous woodlands

Season

April-September (2 broods)

Life Cycle

Larvae feed on Honey Locust (Gleditsia triacanthos) and Kentucky Coffee Tree (Gymnocladus dioicus).

Print References

Tuskes, et al., The Wild Silk Moths of North America, pp. 83-85 plates 2--caterpillar, 11--adult (1)
Covell, p. 46, plate 8 (2)
Wagner, Caterpillars of Eastern North America, p.240--photo of caterpillar (3)

Internet References

Moths of North America - pinned adult images of male and female by Paul Opler, plus overview of species and US distribution map (USGS)
live adult image by John Campbell, plus live larva image and overview of species (Bill Oehlke, silkmoths.bizland.com)
synonyms plus food plants and references (Markku Savela, FUNET)

Works Cited

1.The Wild Silk Moths of North America: A Natural History of the Saturniidae of the United States and Canada
Paul M. Tuskes, James P. Tuttle, Michael M. Collins. 1996. Cornell University Press.
2.Peterson Field Guides: Eastern Moths
Charles V. Covell. 1984. Houghton Mifflin Company.
3.Caterpillars of Eastern North America
David L. Wagner. 2005. Princeton University Press.