Harrisina americana
Encyclopedia
The Grapeleaf Skeletonizer, Harrisina americana is a moth
in the family Zygaenidae
. It is widespread in the eastern half of the United States
, and commonly noticed defoliating grapes, especially of the Virginia creeper
(Parthenocissus quinquefolia). The western grapeleaf skeletonizer, Harrisina brillians is very similar to and slightly larger than H. americana, but their distributions are different.
Members of this family all produce hydrogen cyanide, a potent antipredator toxin.
e that, if brushed against, will give a rash that lasts several days. They feed in groups that become progressively smaller as the larvae age. They constantly live on the underside of the leaves, and frequently line up side-by-side. Development from hatch to pupa
tion takes about 40 days. The maximum length of the larvae is 15 mm.
s are uniformly black except for a yellowish or orange collar. The body and wings are long and narrow, and the abdomen is usually held curled upwards, with a tuft of hairs at the tip. Length of the moth is 8 to 12 mm, while the wing expanse is 22 to 28 mm. Adults are active visiting flowers during the day as well as at night. They live only a few days.
Lepidoptera
Lepidoptera is a large order of insects that includes moths and butterflies . It is one of the most widespread and widely recognizable insect orders in the world, encompassing moths and the three superfamilies of butterflies, skipper butterflies, and moth-butterflies...
in the family Zygaenidae
Zygaenidae
The Zygaenidae moths are a family of Lepidoptera. The majority of zygaenids are tropical, but they are nevertheless quite well represented in temperate regions. There are about 1000 species. Various species are commonly known as Burnet or Forester moths, often qualified by the number of spots,...
. It is widespread in the eastern half of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and commonly noticed defoliating grapes, especially of the Virginia creeper
Parthenocissus quinquefolia
Virginia creeper, five-leaved ivy, or five-finger is a woody vine native to eastern and central North America, in southeastern Canada, the eastern and central United States, eastern Mexico, and Guatemala, west as far as Manitoba, South Dakota, Utah and Texas.-Growth:It is a prolific climber,...
(Parthenocissus quinquefolia). The western grapeleaf skeletonizer, Harrisina brillians is very similar to and slightly larger than H. americana, but their distributions are different.
Members of this family all produce hydrogen cyanide, a potent antipredator toxin.
Life history
There are several generations per year in the south, and one in the north of its range.Eggs
Eggs are lemon yellow, shaped like a capsule, slightly over 0.5 mm in length. They are laid in clusters on the underside of leaves, and hatch in about a week.Larvae
Larvae are stout, with ten bright yellow bands or lines of dots, and eleven black bands alternating. They have hair-like setaSeta
Seta is a biological term derived from the Latin word for "bristle". It refers to a number of different bristle- or hair-like structures on living organisms.-Animal setae:In zoology, most "setae" occur in invertebrates....
e that, if brushed against, will give a rash that lasts several days. They feed in groups that become progressively smaller as the larvae age. They constantly live on the underside of the leaves, and frequently line up side-by-side. Development from hatch to pupa
Pupa
A pupa is the life stage of some insects undergoing transformation. The pupal stage is found only in holometabolous insects, those that undergo a complete metamorphosis, going through four life stages; embryo, larva, pupa and imago...
tion takes about 40 days. The maximum length of the larvae is 15 mm.
Pupa
The pupa is brown, and the stage lasts about 2 weeks. It is the overwintering stage, among leaves at the base of the plant.Adult
Adult mothMoth
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...
s are uniformly black except for a yellowish or orange collar. The body and wings are long and narrow, and the abdomen is usually held curled upwards, with a tuft of hairs at the tip. Length of the moth is 8 to 12 mm, while the wing expanse is 22 to 28 mm. Adults are active visiting flowers during the day as well as at night. They live only a few days.
External links
- Image of the adult moth
- Drawing of larva, adult and pupa by John Abbot
- Grapeleaf skeletonizer on the University of FloridaUniversity of FloridaThe University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
, IFASInstitute of Food and Agricultural SciencesThe University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is a federal-state-county partnership dedicated to developing knowledge in agriculture, human and natural resources, and the life sciences, and enhancing and sustaining the quality of human life by making that information...
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