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Photo#480984
Zale?
Copyright © 2010 Dwaine Wagoner

Zale?
Audubon Center at Garden Creek, Casper, Natrona County, Wyoming, USA
June 18, 2009
Size: note finger
Found on one of the snowberries, probably Symphoricarpos albus.
Surely a Zale but I cannot find another with a "smiley face". This is as Mother Nature made it, face has not been photoshopped on.

Merry Christmas all, regardless.

Images of this individual: tag all
Zale? Zale?
Contributed by Dwaine Wagoner on 23 December, 2010 - 7:49am
Last updated 10 January, 2012 - 8:28pm

Moved
Moved from Butterflies and Moths.
… john and jane balaban, 10 January, 2012 - 8:28pm

It looks to be related to Lynette's post in
Oncocnemidinae ยป Pleromelloida. But we didn't find anything with a smiley face. Did it look like that was normal or due to some damage?

Miller and Hammond say the foodplant for cinerea is snowberry, but that could be true for other species in the genus for all we know.
… john and jane balaban, 26 December, 2010 - 8:23am

 
Thanks John and Jane,
you've come through once again. P. cinerea seems plausible to me. In truth I did not notice the 'face' in the field, it was revealed to me only when I cropped the photo. Seeing the cat you posted makes me suspect it is an injury. Kinda cool though:)
… Dwaine Wagoner, 26 December, 2010 - 11:40am

Moved
Moved from ID Request.
… John R. Maxwell, 24 December, 2010 - 12:56pm

Smiley Face?
Smiley face to deter predators, perhaps? Wouldn't a frowny face have worked better? Thanks, I seldom laugh out loud while enjoying a visit to bugguide!
… Sara A. Tangren, 23 December, 2010 - 7:47pm

 
Happy, happy
Glad you are amused, Sara. Still, there must be others who have seen this species, hopefully someone who knows what it is.
… Dwaine Wagoner, 24 December, 2010 - 9:27am

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