Species Pilocrocis ramentalis - Scraped Pilocrocis - Hodges#5281

5281

Pilocrocis ramentalis Lederer, 1863

RAMENTALIS: from the Latin "ramentum" (a chip, shaving, scale) - from "radere" (to scrape); this is the origin of the common name Scraped Pilocrocis. The original description refers to what seems to translate as a "mane of hair with flat, fish-scale-like little leaves(flakes?) lying on it" as a covering at the front edge of the wing near the base.

Wingspan 24-29 mm. (1)

Adult: forewing grayish-brown with slightly irregular white AM line and sinuous white PM line edged in black; PM line has squarish convex lobe near middle; reniform spot a small white arc, edged basally in black; hindwing grayish-brown with a single white (PM) line having squarish convex lobe near middle

Heppner (2003) reported the range to include Ontario to Florida, Wisconsin to Texas; Mexico. (2)

Moth Photographers Group map (3)

The range extends to South America.

Open woods, clearings, damp areas where foodplant grows; adults are nocturnal and come to light.

The main flight period is August to October. (3)

Heppner (2003) reported February to December. (2)

Heppner (2003) reported the larvae feed on Boehmeria species including B. cylindrica and Odontonema strictum. (2)

Other known hosts include Pachystachys spicata (cardinal's guard) and P. coccinea in the far south.

Diasemiodes janassialis has blackish wings with a different pattern of white lines on the hindwing

Lederer, J., 1863. Wiener Entomologische Monatschrift 7: 430; pl. 16, fig. 13.

Moth Photographers Group (3)

The Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD) (4)

pinned adult image (Matthew Barnes, Moths of Belize)