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Genus Photedes - Cordgrass Borers

Moth, 1:02pm - Photedes Noctuidae: Photedes defecta - Photedes defecta Photedes inops 1 - Photedes inops Photedes inops Leucania ? - Photedes Included Cordgrass Borer - Hodges#9434 - Photedes includens 9436 Northern Cordgrass Borer (Photodes panatela) - Photedes panatela Photedes defecta? - Photedes defecta
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 Noctuinae (Cutworm or Dart Moths)
Tribe Apameini
Genus Photedes (Cordgrass Borers)
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
The genus has been changed from Spartiniphaga to Photedes at MPG and LaFontaine & Schmidt 2010.
Explanation of Names
From Spartina, the genus of cordgrass, and the Greek word for "eat" -- cordgrass eater
Numbers
4 species in North America listed at All-Leps
Identification
Adult: forewing medium brown to yellowish-tan with prominent reniform spot or medial streak but few other noteworthy markings
Range
northern United States and southern Canada from Nova Scotia to Alberta
Habitat
wet grasslands and marshy wooded areas
Season
adults fly from June to September
a new undescribed species found in Georgia by James Adams in 2004 flies in October and November
Food
larvae of S. panatela presumably bore in stems or roots of a marsh plant or plants, but the host plant is unknown (Handfield, 1999)
See Also
Related genera in the tribe Apameini (see MPG)
Print References
Handfield, Louis. 1999. Les Guides des Papillons du Quebec. Broquet. 662 pp.
Internet References
pinned adult images of three species occurring in Canada (CBIF)
distribution in Canada list of provinces for each species (U. of Alberta, using CBIF data)