Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Caenurgina erechtea (Cramer, [1780])
Phalaena erechtea Cramer, [1780]
(2)
* phylogenetic sequence #930924
Size
Wingspan 30-42 mm; female larger than male.
(1)
Forewing length 14-23 mm.
(3)Identification
The following loosely applies to the 2 mentioned species. There is just too much variability for these descriptions to be valid much of the time.
Adult: The dark AM band does not touch the inner margin of the forewing; [whereas in Caenurgina crassiuscula, the dark AM band touches the inner margin].
This is a dissected, male C. erechtea. Note the mouse gray color and the AM dark area that does NOT touch the inner margin of the forewing.
Scales brushed from terminal end of abdomen in males of C. erechtea and C. crassiuscula
Range
Absent from the following parts of Canada where C. crassiuscula occurs: Newfoundland, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Yukon, Northwest Territories.
Otherwise, occurs coast to coast in United States and adjacent parts of Canada.
Habitat
Fields, roadsides, waste places; adults are active day and night, and are attracted to light.
Season
Adults fly from March to November.
Food
Larvae feed on alfalfa, clover, grasses, and
Great Ragweed (
Ambrosia trifida).
Remarks
Due to the similarity in spelling, the genus
Caenurgina is sometimes confused with
Caenurgia, a genus in the same subfamily and tribe as
Caenurgina.
See Also
In
Clover Looper (
Caenurgina crassiuscula) the dark AM band touches the inner margin of the forewing.