Alypia mariposa
Encyclopedia
Mariposa forester is a moth
of the Noctuidae
family. It is found in California
, from Kern and San Luis Obispo counties in the south to Placer county in the north.
It resembles Alypia ridingsii
except it lacks black lines through the white wing spots. Adults fly in April, May and June.
The larvae have been recorded feeding on Clarkia bottae
.
Moth
A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly, both being of the order Lepidoptera. Moths form the majority of this order; there are thought to be 150,000 to 250,000 different species of moth , with thousands of species yet to be described...
of the Noctuidae
Noctuidae
The Noctuidae or owlet moths are a family of robustly-built moths that includes more than 35,000 known species out of possibly 100,000 total, in more than 4,200 genera. They constitute the largest family in the Lepidoptera....
family. It is found in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, from Kern and San Luis Obispo counties in the south to Placer county in the north.
It resembles Alypia ridingsii
Alypia ridingsii
Ridings' Forester or the Mountain Forester is a moth of the Noctuidae family. It is found as far east as the eastern edge of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. It is also found in Arizona, Utah, all of California and northward into Oregon, Idaho, Washington, British Columbia and AlaskaThe wingspan...
except it lacks black lines through the white wing spots. Adults fly in April, May and June.
The larvae have been recorded feeding on Clarkia bottae
Clarkia bottae
Clarkia bottae is a species of wildflower with several common names, including punchbowl godetia, Botta's clarkia, Botta's fairyfan, and hill clarkia. This plant is endemic to the mountains of southern California where it is a member of the chaparral and coastal scrub plant communities...
.