Ctenucha virginica
| Virginia ctenucha | |
|---|---|
| |
| Adult | |
_Larva-_Guelph,_Ontario_02.jpg)
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| Larva | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Superfamily: | Noctuoidea |
| Family: | Erebidae |
| Subfamily: | Arctiinae |
| Genus: | Ctenucha |
| Species: | C. virginica
|
| Binomial name | |
| Ctenucha virginica Esper, 1794
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| Synonyms | |
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Ctenucha virginica, the Virginia ctenucha, is a moth of the family Erebidae.
Morphology
The wingspan ranges from 40–50 millimetres (1.6–2.0 in).[1] The wing color varies from black to olive-brown. The body is a metallic blue-green. The head is yellow-orange, with feathery antennae. The caterpillar (about 20–25 mm) has multiple tufts of white and yellow hair.[2] It undergoes metamorphosis in May–August.
Range
It is endemic to eastern North America, from Newfoundland south to Virginia. According to the University of Alberta, there has been a westward expansion in the last 60 years as it has reached the Canadian rockies and is now found in all Canadian provinces.[3]
Food plants
Larvae feed on a variety of host plants including various grasses, irises, and sedges. Adults drink nectar from flowers including goldenrod.[4]
Images
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caterpillar -
Detail
Similar species
- Cisseps fulvicollis – Yellow-collared Scape Moth
References
- ^ "Bugguide". Retrieved 30 December 2014.
- ^ Patch, Edith (1921). A Meadow Caterpillar. University of Maine.
- ^ "U of Alberta Species page - Ctenucha virginica". Retrieved 30 December 2014.
- ^ "Bugguide". Retrieved 30 December 2014.
External links
