Paradrina clavipalpis
Encyclopedia
The Pale mottled willow (Paradrina clavipalpis) is a species of moth
of the family Noctuidae
. It is found in Europe
. It is an introduced species in North America, where it was first reported from Queens in New York City
in 1993. In 2009 it was found in Rochester, New York, so it appears to be established and spreading.
The wingspan
is 26-35 mm. The length of the forewings is 12-15 mm. The moth flies from April to October depending on the location. There are two generations per year in North America.
The larvae feed on Plantago
and various grasses.
to be a subgenus of Caradrina
, hence the species is also known as Caradrina clavipalpis or Caradrina (Paradrina) clavipalpis.
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 family 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....
. It is found in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. It is an introduced species in North America, where it was first reported from Queens in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1993. In 2009 it was found in Rochester, New York, so it appears to be established and spreading.
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 26-35 mm. The length of the forewings is 12-15 mm. The moth flies from April to October depending on the location. There are two generations per year in North America.
The larvae feed on Plantago
Plantago
Plantago is a genus of about 200 species of small, inconspicuous plants commonly called plantains. They share this name with the very dissimilar plantain, a kind of banana. Most are herbaceous plants, though a few are subshrubs growing to 60 cm tall. The leaves are sessile, but have a narrow...
and various grasses.
Taxonomy
Some authors consider the genus ParadrinaParadrina
Paradrina is a subgenus of moths of the Caradrina genus of the Noctuidae family. Some authors consider it a valid genus in itself.-References:*...
to be a subgenus of Caradrina
Caradrina
Caradrina is a genus of moths of the Noctuidae family. It consist of the species of the Paradrina and Platyperigea subgenera, although some authors treat these as separate.-Species:* Caradrina abruzzensis...
, hence the species is also known as Caradrina clavipalpis or Caradrina (Paradrina) clavipalpis.