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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 » Plusiina » Plusia » White-streaked Looper - Hodges#8953 (Plusia venusta)

Species Plusia venusta - White-streaked Looper - Hodges#8953

Classification · Hodges Number · Other Common Names · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Explanation of Names · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Season · Food · Life Cycle · See Also · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited
sporty model - Plusia venusta White-streaked Looper - Hodges#8953 - Plusia venusta White-streaked Looper - Hodges#8953 (Plusia venusta) - Plusia venusta White-streaked Looper - Hodges#8953 - Plusia venusta Noctuidae: Plusia venusta - Plusia venusta Plusia venusta Plusia venusta - White-streaked Looper - Hodges#8953 - Plusia venusta moth - Plusia venusta
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 Plusiina
Genus Plusia
Species venusta (White-streaked Looper - Hodges#8953)
Hodges Number
8953
Other Common Names
Thin-streaked Looper
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Plusia venusta Walker, 1865
Chrysaspidia venusta
Euchalcia venusta
Paleoplusia venusta
Plusia striatella Grote, 1873
* phylogenetic sequence #930865
Explanation of Names
VENUSTA: from the adjective "venust" (beautiful), from Venus, a very beautiful woman in Roman mythology; refers to the elegant appearance of the moth's forewings.
Size
wingspan 30-35 mm (Covell, 1984)(1)
Identification
Adults - forewing has unique pattern - leading third pale brown, separated from dark reddish-brown lower two-thirds by white streak on distal half; dark lower area divided by thin horizontal silvery-white streak. Hindwing light grayish-brown with gray veins and whitish fringe; antennae simple; sexes similar.
Range
Northern United States and most of Canada: Newfoundland to Washington D.C., west through South Dakota and Montana to British Columbia, north to Northwest Territories.
Habitat
Wet meadows and grassy wetland edges usually associated with woodlands; adults are nocturnal and attracted to light (E.H. Strickland Museum).
Season
Adults fly from June to August (Covell, 1984)(1)
Food
Larvae feed on Swamp sedges and grasses (Forbes, 1954).
Life Cycle
One generation per year (Covell, 1984)(1)
See Also
Connected Looper (Plusia contexta) has a more uniformly-colored forewing with wider silvery-white stripes.
Print References
Covell Jr., C. V. 1984. A field guide to the moths of eastern North America. p.158, pl.32 #2 (1)
Eichlin, T. D. & H. B. Cunningham 1978. The Plusiinae (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) of America north of Mexico, emphasizing genitalic and larval morphology. USDA Tech. Bulletin 1567: 1-122 (PDF)(2)
Grote, A. R. 1873. On eight species of Noctuidae. Bulletin Buffalo Soc. Nat. Sci. 1: 194 (synonym Plusia striatella)
Lafontaine, J. D. & R. W. Poole 1991. Moths of America North of Mexico, Fascicle 25.1: p.127; pl.1.53
Internet References
Moth Photographers Group - species page
E.H. Strickland Museum - species page
live adult images (Lynn Scott, Ontario)
pinned adult image (CBIF)
pinned adult image (Canadian Forest Service)
distribution in western Canada list of provinces and territories (CBIF)
Works Cited
1.Peterson Field Guides: Eastern Moths
Charles V. Covell. 1984. Houghton Mifflin Company.
2.The Plusiinae (Lepidoptera:Noctuidae) of America north of Mexico, emphasizing genitalic and larval morphology
Thomas D. Eichlin, Hugh B. Cunningham. 1978. United States Department of Agriculture Technical Bulletin 1567: 1-121.
Contributed by Cotinis on 13 February, 2006 - 8:29pm
Additional contributions by Robin McLeod, Randy Hardy
Last updated 2 March, 2013 - 7:22pm

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