Oncocnemis dunbari
Encyclopedia
Sympistis dunbari is a moth
of the Noctuidae
family. It is found in wet coastal forests west of the Cascade Mountains, as far north as British Columbia
, south to Utah
, California
and Arizona
.
Oncocnemis definita, was formerly considered a synonym of Oncocnemis dunbari, but is now considered a separate species, Sympistis definita.
The wingspan
is about 34 mm.
The larvae feed on the foliage of Holodiscus discolor
.
If disturbed, the caterpillar of this species will leap two or three inches upwards.
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 wet coastal forests west of the Cascade Mountains, as far north as British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, south to 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...
, 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...
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...
.
Oncocnemis definita, was formerly considered a synonym of Oncocnemis dunbari, but is now considered a separate species, Sympistis definita.
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 34 mm.
The larvae feed on the foliage of Holodiscus discolor
Holodiscus discolor
Holodiscus discolor, commonly known as ocean spray, creambush or ironwood, is a shrub of western North America. It is common in the Pacific Northwest where it is found in both openings and the forest understory at low to moderate elevations.-Description:Holodiscus discolor is a fast-growing...
.
If disturbed, the caterpillar of this species will leap two or three inches upwards.