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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Owlet Moths and kin (Noctuoidea) » Owlet Moths (Noctuidae) » Cutworm or Dart Moths (Noctuinae) » Apameini » Cordgrass Borers (Photedes)

Genus Photedes - Cordgrass Borers

Classification · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Explanation of Names · Numbers · Identification · Range · Habitat · Season · Food · See Also · Print References · Internet References

Noctuidae: Photedes defecta - Photedes defecta

9436 Northern Cordgrass Borer (Photodes panatela) - Photedes panatela

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)

Contributed by Robin McLeod on 10 June, 2006 - 7:09pm
Additional contributions by tom murray, Vox Sciurorum, marcie oconnor, Blocky
Last updated 23 February, 2021 - 8:56am

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