Species Papaipema baptisiae - Indigo Stem Borer - Hodges#9485

9485

Papaipema baptisiae (Bird, 1902)

Hydroecia baptisiae Bird, 1902

Wingspan 35-38 mm.

Adult - forewing median area dark yellowish-orange with smooth or lustrous appearance; basal area brown; area beyond PM line purplish-brown, except for pale apical patch; basal spots yellowish-orange (same color as median ground color); orbicular and claviform spots large, white; reniform spot has several white pieces around perimeter creating a "patch"; PM line located some distance from reniform patch; hindwing pale yellowish with indistinct discal lunule, darker veins, and darker shading toward outer margin.

Ontario and Quebec to Maryland, west to Illinois and Wisconsin; also reported from Georgia, Oklahoma, and Utah; type specimen collected in Rhode Island.

Adults fly from August to October

Larvae feed on wild indigo (Baptisia spp.), dogbane (Apocynum spp.), and apparently Rugel's Indianplantain (Rugelia nudicaulis), also Angelica atropurpurea (MJ Hatfield)

larva inside dogbane stem; larva from Angelica atropurpurea, adult; spent pupa

Umbellifer Borer (Papaipema birdi) is smaller (wingspan 32 mm), forewing has "gritty" or "grainy" overall appearance, cream-colored basal spots; larger and more elongate reniform patch that is wider toward bottom; and PM line is close to -- or sometimes touching -- reniform patch ; also see photos of this and numerous related species by Jim Vargo at MPG)

Bird, Henry. 1902. New histories and species of Hydroecia. The Canadian Entomologist 34(5): 109, Pl. 3

Moth Photographers Group

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