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Hypena baltimoralis
Adult: forewing grayish-brown, with whitish tint in female; tint often absent in male. Note blackish-brown apical dash, and large dark patch from base through median area which does not touch inner margin. Dark patch usually has white outer edging. Hindwing dark grayish-brown. Larva: bright green, elongate and somewhat flattened dorsally with reduced prolegs on third abdominal segment. Head green, occasionally with setal bases darkened. Setal bases orange, red, or black. Setae on eighth and ninth abdominal segments twice length of those on midabdominal segments. Rear of each segment yellowed. Anal prolegs splayed out in V.
Deciduous forests or edges; adults are nocturnal and come to light. This one was attracted to a porch light in Edgefield County, SC.
Thanks to Jakubko for identification. This one was also confirmed on the Moth and Mothwatching Facebook page. On BAMONA, it's the first documented spotting in my County. It's also called Baltimore Bomolocha. Adults fly from March to October in the south; May to September in the north. Caterpillar seen June to November. Hodges Number 8442. This one was also confirmed on the Mothing and Mothwatching Facebook page.
You're welcome, Ken. I too read up on Hypena palparia, but found that the dark patch on the forewing continues to the inside edge of the forewing, but in Hypena baltimoralis, the dark patch does not extend to the inside of the forewing, like yours.
Jakubko, I think that you are correct. I did take a look at Mottled Bomolocha (Hypena palparia). The two are similar, and there appears to be a good bit of variation within each species. According to BAMONA, either species would be a first documented species for my county. Thanks for taking the time to identify it.
Re-checking my sources, I do not think there are any very similar species we need to worry about with this one. :-)
Beautiful! Previously referred to as the Baltimore Bomolocha, a name I too like better. Please verify, as there are quite a few similar species of Hypena. Here is my reference link:
http://bugguide.net/node/view/3002/bgpag...
Spotted on Mar 29, 2013
Submitted on Mar 30, 2013
+1
