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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Owlet Moths and kin (Noctuoidea) » Erebidae » Tiger and Lichen Moths (Arctiinae) » Tiger Moths (Arctiini) » Pericopina » Composia » Faithful Beauty - Hodges#8038 (Composia fidelissima)

Species Composia fidelissima - Faithful Beauty - Hodges#8038

Classification · Hodges Number · Other Common Names · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Explanation of Names · Numbers · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Season · Food · Life Cycle · Remarks · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited
Faithful Beauty - Composia fidelissima - male Faithful Beauty - Composia fidelissima - male Faithful Beauty - Composia fidelissima - female Faithful Beauty - Composia fidelissima - male - female Faithful Beauty - Antennae - Composia fidelissima - male Faithful Beauty, Composia fidelissima - Composia fidelissima - female ID help_type of moth? - Composia fidelissima - male Faithful Beauty - Composia fidelissima - male - female
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 Erebidae
Subfamily Arctiinae (Tiger and Lichen Moths)
Tribe Arctiini (Tiger Moths)
Subtribe Pericopina
Genus Composia
Species fidelissima (Faithful Beauty - Hodges#8038)
Hodges Number
8038
Other Common Names
Uncle Sam Moth (1)
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Composia fidelissima Herrich-Schäffer, 1866
Explanation of Names
"fidel" (L). 'Faithful'
Numbers
There are three species of Composia, but only C. fidelissima occurs in the U.S.
Size
Wingspan 4.8-6.4 cm
Identification
Distinctive day-flying moth found in South Florida.
Range
South Florida, West Indies - Map - MPG
Habitat
Tropical hardwood thickets (hammocks)
Season
year round in FL
Food
Adults take nectar, larval hosts:
Devil's Potato - Echites umbellata - Apocynaceae
Oleander - Nerium oleander - Apocynaceae
Leafless Swallowwart - Cynanchum scoparium - Apocynaceae
Bay Bean (Canavalia rosea)
Baybean - Canavalia rosea - Fabaceae
Life Cycle
1)eggs 2)eggs and newly hatched larvae 3)larva 4)pupa 5)adult
Remarks
Lovely.
Print References
Covell, p. 59, plate 11 #7 (2)
Holland, W.J. 1903. The Moth Book. Doubleday, Page & Co., New York. 479 pp.
Kimball, C.P. 1965. The Lepidoptera of Florida; an annotated checklist. Arthropods of Florida and Neighboring Land Areas, Vol. 1. Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Plant Industry. v + 363 pp.
Wagner, D.L. 2005. Caterpillars of Eastern North America: A Guide to Identification and Natural History. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ. 496 pp., 1,200+ color photos.
Internet References
Moth Photographers Group - MPG
Worldwide Museum of Natural History
Faithful Beauty - Mike Quinn
Works Cited
1.Caterpillars of Eastern North America
David L. Wagner. 2005. Princeton University Press.
2.Peterson Field Guides: Eastern Moths
Charles V. Covell. 1984. Houghton Mifflin Company.
Contributed by Cotinis on 2 August, 2004 - 8:55pm
Additional contributions by anitagould, Mike Quinn, marcie oconnor
Last updated 30 November, 2016 - 5:34pm

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