Species Hymenia perspectalis - Spotted Beet Webworm Moth - Hodges#5169

5169

Hymenia perspectalis (Hübner, 1796)

Pyralis perspectalis Hübner, 1796

Desmia rhinthonalis Walker, 1859

Hymenia phrasiusalis Walker, 1859

Spoladea exportalis Guenée, 1854

Spoladea spilotalis Saalmüller, 1880

Zinckenia primordialis Zeller, 1852

Hymenia perspectalis is the only member of the genus in America north of Mexico. (1)

Wingspan 16-22 mm.

Adult: cinnamon-brown with narrow white bands on forewing; median band broken, very narrow toward inner margin; hindwing median band complete, with outward bulge at midpoint; wing bands may be dark (brownish or grayish-yellow) in some individuals; fringe of both wings with dark and light patches

Larva: green with purple dots on head

Heppner (2003) reported the range to include Maine to Florida, Michigan to Texas. (2)

Moth Photographers Group includes New Mexico and Arizona. (3)

Also found in other parts of the world (introduced?)

The adults are most common the months of May to November. (3)

Heppner (2003) reported January to December in Florida. (2)

Larvae feed on beets, chard, potatoes, Amaranth, and various greenhouse plants.

Heppner (2003) has many host plants listed. (2)

Type locality: Great Britain, England

Spoladea recurvalis has broader and sharper white bands on forewing, with the median band ending in a fish-hook shape, and the hindwing band is smooth-margined (not toothed) and doesn't bulge outward in the middle.

Hübner, J. 1796–1833 [imprint "1796"] d: Sammlung europäischer Schmetterlinge. 6. Horde. Die Zünsler; nach der Natur geordnet, beschrieben und vorgestellt (continued by C. Geyer). – Augsburg. 18, pl. 16 fig. 101.

Walker, F. 1859 d: Pyralides. – List of the Specimens of Lepidopterous Insects in the Collection of the British Museum, London 19: 932, 944.

Moth Photographers Group (3)

live adult images (Larry Line, Maryland)

pinned adult image of dark specimen (James Adams, Dalton State College, Georgia)

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD) (4)