Species Hypena californica - Hodges#8462

8462

Hypena californica Behr, 1870

Phylogenetic sequence # 930585 (1)

Adult: forewing slender, variably light to dark grayish-brown; light individuals have blackish streak extending through and beyond reniform and orbicular spots; dark individuals show less overall contrast but have more prominent AM and PM lines, which are pale yellowish or beige; subterminal line a series of dark dots, sometimes indistinct; pale wedge at apex adjacent to dark triangular patch along outer margin; fringe crenulate (with small scallops) except in worn specimens; hindwing broad, yellowish-gray with darker veins; terminal line thin, dark; fringe pale; snout long, projecting forward from head.

Larva: body slender, light grayish-green with white lateral stripe; 3 pairs of mid-abdominal prolegs and 1 pair of backward-projecting anal prolegs

California to British Columbia, Alaska, east to Saskatchewan; also recorded from Ontario.

Moth Photographers Group map (2)

adults may be present all year in California but are more numerous from March to October, the approximate flight season in the north

larvae feed on nettle (Urtica)

multiple generations per year

dark individuals are easily confused with the similar Hypena decorata which appears to have an indistinct orbicular spot or blob that almost touches the AM line, and a black line running from the reniform spot part-way to the AM line (compare images of both species at CBIF, and see photo of H. decorata H. decorata has a flight season of late February to late September in California

Hypena modestoides has a pale band beyond the PM line, and its PM line is more oblique, with a large tooth near the inner margin (compare images of both species at CBIF)

Pacific Northwest Moths (3)

Moth Photographers Group (2)

live adult and larva images plus foodplant (Jeremy Tatum, Butterflies and Moths of Southern Vancouver Island)

pinned adult image (CBIF)

13 records from California with locations and dates (U. of California at Berkeley)