Species Phalaenostola eumelusalis - Dark Phalaenostola - Hodges#8363

Classification · Hodges Number · Size · Identification · Range · Season · Food · See Also · Internet References

Dark Phalaenostola - Phalaenostola eumelusalis - female

Phalaenostola eumelusalis - Dark Phalaenostola (?) - Phalaenostola eumelusalis - female

Dark Phalaenostola - Hodges#8363 - Phalaenostola eumelusalis - male

tan moth w/dark band across fore-wings - Phalaenostola eumelusalis - male

Moth - Phalaenostola eumelusalis - female

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 Noctuoidea (Owlet Moths and kin)

Family Erebidae

Subfamily Herminiinae (Litter Moths)

Genus Phalaenostola

Species eumelusalis (Dark Phalaenostola - Hodges#8363)

Hodges Number

8363

Size

wingspan about 25 mm, based on photo by Jim Vargo at MPG

Identification

Adult: forewing brown, crossed by dark brown antemedian (AM), postmedian (PM), and subterminal (ST) lines; AM line composed of three scallops; PM and ST lines thin, irregular, zigzagged; distance between AM and PM lines at least 2x greater than distance between PM and ST lines (a distinguishing feature); broad dark band in median area; reniform spot a thin black arc; small dark blotch often present near apex; hindwing slightly paler than forewing, and crossed by two dark bands

Range

New Brunswick to North Carolina, west to Missouri, north to Saskatchewan

Season

adults fly from late May to August

Food

larval host is unknown (Ohio State U.)

See Also

in Black-banded Owlet (Phalaenostola larentioides), distance between forewing AM and PM line is approximately equal to distance between PM and ST line (whereas in P. eumelusalis, PM line is situated much closer to ST line than AM line)

Internet References

Moth Photographers Group (MPG)

Barcode of Life (BOLD)

pinned adult image by John Glaser, plus date (Larry Line, Maryland)

pinned adult images plus collection site map (All-Leps)

presence in North Carolina; list in Great Smoky Mountains Bioblitz (USGS)

distribution in Canada list of provinces (U. of Alberta, using CBIF data)

Contributed by Robin McLeod on 14 January, 2005 - 10:46pm
Additional contributions by Tony-2, Steve Morris
Last updated 7 May, 2024 - 9:40am

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