Oidaematophorus guttatus
Encyclopedia
Oidaematophorus guttatus is a moth
of the Pterophoridae family. It is found in North America
(including California
, Colorado
, Utah
and Arizona
).
The wingspan
is about 25 mm. The head and palpi are whitish, sprinkled with cinereous, although the palpi are fuscous at the sides. The thorax and abdomen are whitish cinereous. The forewings are whitish cinereous, paler at the base and dusted with fuscous scales toward the costa and the hind margin. There is a white spot, generally bordered on the inner edge by two fuscous scales, located at the base of the fissure. Another similar spot is sometimes indicated before the middle of the hind margin. The fringes of the outer margin and fissure are cinereous fuscous, slightly interrupted with whitish. The hindwings are pale cinereous and the fringes paler.
The larvae have been recorded feeding on Phacelia heterophylla and Hydrophyllum virginianum
. They are about 13 mm long and deep olivegreen with the posterior margins of segments faintly yellow-tinted and a pale flesh-colored head. Pupation takes place in a pale green to dark reddish brown pupa.
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 Pterophoridae family. It is found in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
(including 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...
, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
and Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
).
The wingspan
Wingspan
The wingspan of an airplane or a bird, is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777 has a wingspan of about ; and a Wandering Albatross caught in 1965 had a wingspan of , the official record for a living bird.The term wingspan, more technically extent, is...
is about 25 mm. The head and palpi are whitish, sprinkled with cinereous, although the palpi are fuscous at the sides. The thorax and abdomen are whitish cinereous. The forewings are whitish cinereous, paler at the base and dusted with fuscous scales toward the costa and the hind margin. There is a white spot, generally bordered on the inner edge by two fuscous scales, located at the base of the fissure. Another similar spot is sometimes indicated before the middle of the hind margin. The fringes of the outer margin and fissure are cinereous fuscous, slightly interrupted with whitish. The hindwings are pale cinereous and the fringes paler.
The larvae have been recorded feeding on Phacelia heterophylla and Hydrophyllum virginianum
Hydrophyllum virginianum
The Virginia Waterleaf is an herbaceous perennial plant native to Eastern North America. The plant generally spreads by rhizomes to form large colonies in wooded areas. It can also spread by seeds. The seedling usually appear early to mid-spring. Flowers are blue, white, or purple, appearing in...
. They are about 13 mm long and deep olivegreen with the posterior margins of segments faintly yellow-tinted and a pale flesh-colored head. Pupation takes place in a pale green to dark reddish brown pupa.