Species Eulithis explanata - White Eulithis - Hodges#7206

7206

locally common

wingspan 28-35 mm

Adult: forewing white with dark gray basal, median, and terminal shading, heaviest just below apex; shading in median area may be broken into upper and lower patches by variably wide white band crossing median area; AM and PM lines obscure, scalloped; ST line white, zigzag; discal spot black; hindwing white with gray shading and traces of lines, heaviest toward anal angle

[description by Charles Covell]

Newfoundland south in mountains to North Carolina, west to Colorado, north to Alberta

bogs and shrubby areas where foodplant grows; adults are nocturnal and attracted to light

adults fly from June to September

larvae feed on leaves of blueberry (Vaccinium spp.)

one generation per year

Eustroma semiatrata forewing is similar but shading in median area is more extensive and not broken into patches, and ST line is less conspicuous (compare images of both species at CBIF)

As of 12/2/2015, the BOLD page for this species contains two BIN clusters which in turn contain specimens identified as others species. These species may not be separable without DNA or dissection:

BOLD:AAA2492: E. explanata

BOLD:AAA2493: E. serrataria, E. xylina, E. explanata, Antepirrhoe semiatrata - This BIN appears to be of E. xylina. Examples of E. explanata and Antepirrhoe semiatrata appear to be misidentification. Examples of E. serrataria are grouped together in their own branch of the taxon tree.

Antepirrhoe semiatrata - Black-banded Carpet (Abdomen lacks pairs of dark triangles)

Moth Photographers Group (MPG)

Barcode of Life (BOLD)

pinned adult images (All-Leps)

foodplant; PDF doc plus flight season and life cycle (Macrolepidoptera of Mont Saint-Hilaire Region, McGill U., Quebec)

presence in Colorado; list (U. of Colorado)

presence in North Carolina; PDF doc list (Southern Lepidopterists Society)

distribution in Canada list of provinces (CBIF)