Species Eoparargyractis plevie - Hodges#4787

4787

Eoparargyractis plevie (Dyar, 1917)

Three Eoparargyractis species are listed for America north of Mexico.

Small, with triangular wings usually held tent-like over body. Has the typical pattern for the subfamily with brown bands across white ground color on both wings and dark speckliing in the outer half; a series of brown, white, and orange radiating rays near in the outer margin of the forewing; hindwings with a series of 5 black marginal “eyespots” which are flanked by smaller irridescent patches.

Distinguished from similar moths in genus Petrophila by a combination of: (a) dark brown arching line at base of forewing; (b) innermost (subapical) white ray on FW is much thinner than outer (subterminal) one.

Mainly eastern Canada and northeast U.S., but apparently ranges down Atlantic Coast to Florida (MPG, BOLD).

Moth Photographers Group - large map with some collection dates.

Very similar to Dewy Leafcutter but ranges only overlap from mid-Atlantic Coast south to Florida. Generally paler than Dewy Leafcutter, with less obvious yellow tint in front of HW eyespots (slightly pinkish buff, if anything).

Petrophila species have brown at base of FW but lack the clear arching dark brown line shown on Eoparargyractis species; generally have equal-width white rays in outer part of FW; hindwing will either have thin dark line over marginal eyespots (Canadian, Feather-edged), or a white middle area with bold black spot (Two-banded).

Feather-edged (left), Canadian (middle), Two-banded (right):

Beadle, D. & S. Leckie 2012. Peterson Field Guide to Moths of Northeastern North America.(1)

Fiance, S. B. & R. E. Moeller 1977. Immature stages and ecological observations of Eoparargyractis plevie (Pyralidae: Nymphulinae). The Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society. Vol. 32 No. 2. p. 81. Full text PDF

Moth Photographers Group