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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Owlet Moths and kin (Noctuoidea) » Owlet Moths (Noctuidae) » Bird Dropping Moths (Acontiinae) » Acontiini » Ponometia » The Half-Yellow - Hodges#9085 (Ponometia semiflava)

Species Ponometia semiflava - The Half-Yellow - Hodges#9085

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
Tarachidia semiflava - Ponometia semiflava The Half-Yellow - Ponometia semiflava The Half-Yellow - Hodges#9085 - Ponometia semiflava Half-Yellow Moth (Ponometia semiflava) - Ponometia semiflava Half-Yellow Moth, 9085 - Ponometia semiflava Ponometia semiflava Ponometia semiflava half yellow - Ponometia semiflava
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 Acontiinae (Bird Dropping Moths)
Tribe Acontiini
Genus Ponometia
Species semiflava (The Half-Yellow - Hodges#9085)
Hodges Number
9085
Other Common Names
Yellow-cloaked Midget
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Ponometia semiflava (Guenée, 1852)
Xanthoptera semiflava Guenée, 1852
Phylogenetic sequence #931308
Explanation of Names
semiflava is Latin for "half-yellow"
Size
wingspan 14-24 mm
Identification
Can be separated from the similar P. bicolorata by the yellow scales of the pronotum and head, which match with the yellow on the wing. Jan Metlevski via iNaturalist.com
Range
New York and New England to Florida, west to Arizona, north to British Columbia; in Canada, occurs from BC to Manitoba.
Habitat
Dry open areas such as sandy prairie, old beaches, dunes; adults are nocturnal and come to light, but are also easily flushed during the day.
Season
Adults fly from March to August in the south; June and July in the north (Alberta).
Food
Maryland goldenaster (Chrysopsis mariana) in New Jersey and North Carolina; presumably related composites elsewhere.
Life Cycle
One generation per year.
See Also

Exyra ridingsii (=nigrocaput) is similar but has black on the top of the head and thorax.


P. bicolorata
Print References
Boisduval, J. B. & A. Guenée 1852. Anthophilidae. Noctuilites 2. Histoire Naturelle des Insectes. Species General des Lépidoptéres 6: 241
Internet References
Moth Photographers Group (MPG)
Pacific Northwest Moths
Nearctica by Robert W. Poole
Barcode of Life (BOLD)
pinned adult image plus common name references, habitat, flight season, description, biology, foodplant remarks (G.G. Anweiler, U. of Alberta)
pinned adult image (Bruce Walsh, Moths of Southeastern Arizona)
Owlet Caterpillars of Eastern North America - larva description
Contributed by Robin McLeod on 17 April, 2006 - 11:58am
Additional contributions by cotinis, Chuck Entz, Randy Hardy, Steve Morris, Nathaniel Green
Last updated 29 October, 2024 - 3:45pm

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