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Photo#536726
California Oak Moth Pupa - Phryganidia californica - female

California Oak Moth Pupa - Phryganidia californica - Female
San Mateo, San Mateo County, California, USA
June 24, 2011
Seeing a large number of swarming moths fluttering and floating among the oaks, I thought it would be a good opportunity to practice "catch & release" netting.

I netted about 30 moths and verified they were California Oak Moths (Phryganidia californica). All those I netted clearly had plumose (bipectinate) antennae...indicating they were males. Not a single female in the batch!

Afterwards I examined the undersides of a number of leaves and found a recently eclosed pupa and one still occupied. They appear together above.

The occupied pupa eclosed 31 hours after the photograph above was taken. It was a female, as the antennae were simple...although they appear finely bipectinate under magnification .

The fact that I only caught males swarming earlier, and this female eclosed two days later makes me wonder if perhaps males typically eclose en masse before the females?

Images of this individual: tag all
California Oak Moth Pupa - Phryganidia californica - female California Oak Moth Pupa - Phryganidia californica - female California Oak Moth Pupa - Phryganidia californica - female California Oak Moth Adult - Phryganidia californica - female

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Moved from Phryganidia.

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