Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Prolita variabilis (Busck, 1903)
Gelechia variabilis Busck, 1903
Lita variabilis (Busck, 1903)
Numbers
There are twenty named species of
Prolita in America north of Mexico.
(1)Identification
Forewing has variable color and markings.
(1)
Range
Plains provinces of Canada, the Great Basin south to northern Arizona and southeastern California; the New England area.
(1)
Moth Photographers Group - large map with some distribution data.
Season
Adults are most common from August to October. (MPG)
Food
Comstock (1959) reports larvae on Ericameria linearifolia (DC.) Urbatsch & Wussow [Stenotopsis linearifolius] (narrowleaf goldenbush).
Powell & Opler (2009) reports larval host is unknown.
(1)See Also
Compare on the pinned plates of
Moth Photographers Group.
(2)Print References
Busck, A. 1903. A revision of the American moths of the family Gelechiidae, with descriptions of new species. Proceedings of the United States National Museum, 25:
871.
(3)
Comstock, J.A. 1959. Rare or common! With notes on the life histories of two southwestern moths. Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences. 58(3):
170.
Hodges, R.W. 1967. Revision of Nearctic Gelechiidae. 1. The Lita group (Lepidoptera: Gelechioidea). Proceedings of the United States National Museum., 119:
13, figs. 3-7, 68-70, 146, 151, 173-174.
(4)
Powell, J.A. & P.A. Opler 2009. Moths of Western North America. p. 90, pl. 8.12.
(1)