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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Geometrid and Swallowtail Moths (Geometroidea) » Geometrid Moths (Geometridae) » Ennominae » Macariini » Mellilla » Orange Wing - Hodges#6322 (Mellilla xanthometata)

Species Mellilla xanthometata - Orange Wing - Hodges#6322

Classification · Hodges Number · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Explanation of Names · Numbers · Size · Identification · Range · Season · Food · Life Cycle · Remarks · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited

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 Geometroidea (Geometrid and Swallowtail Moths)

Family Geometridae (Geometrid Moths)

Subfamily Ennominae

Tribe Macariini

Genus Mellilla

Species xanthometata (Orange Wing - Hodges#6322)

Hodges Number

6322

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

Mellilla xanthometata (Walker, 1862)

M. chamaechrysaria

Fidonia xanthometata

Explanation of Names

Mellilla xanthometata (Walker, 1862), previously renumbered 6271.1, is returned to 6322 following the 1983 Hodges Checklist at MPG. (1)

Numbers

The only species in this genus in North America.

Size

Wingspan 16-21 mm.

Identification

♂

♀

Range

Most of eastern North America.

Moth Photographers Group - large range map with some collection dates.

Season

Most records are from March through October.

Two broods with one in early spring (March) and another in late June.(2)

Food

Covell's Guide (3) gives "locust trees" as the larval foodplant but doesn't specify whether that means Gleditsia species or Robinia species - or both

Larry Line states that larvae feed on Honeylocust (Gleditsia triacanthos)

Life Cycle

Larva; Mating pair:

Remarks

Adults are active day and night. (3)

Type specimen was collected in Buffalo, New York.

Print References

Ferguson, D.C., 2008. The Moths of America North of Mexico, Fascicle 17.2. The Wedge Entomological Research Foundation. p. 64; pl. 1, figs. 46-50. (2)

Internet References

Moth Photographers Group (1)

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD)

pinned adult image (CBIF)

adult images plus common name reference, dates, and larval foodplant (Larry Line, Maryland)

common name reference plus foodplant and flight season (Ohio State U.)

presence and status in Ontario; list (NHIC; Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources)

presence in New York; list (Timothy McCabe, Olive Natural Heritage Society)

presence in South Carolina; county distribution map (John Snyder, Furman U., South Carolina)

presence in Texas; list (Dale Clark, Texas)

classification history plus type specimen location, synonyms, references (Brian Pitkin, Butterflies and Moths of the World)

Works Cited

1.	North American Moth Photographers Group

2.	The Moths of America North of Mexico, Fascicle 17.2, Geometroidea, Geometridae, Ennominae. Douglas C. Ferguson . 2008. The Wedge Entomological Research Foundation.

3.	Field Guide to Moths of Eastern North America Charles V. Covell, Jr. 2005.

Contributed by Cotinis on 30 August, 2006 - 1:25pm
Additional contributions by Bob Patterson, Steve Nanz, Robin McLeod, Maury Heiman, marcie oconnor, Randy Hardy, Robert H. Biagi
Last updated 12 June, 2021 - 8:14am

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