Leucania linda Franclemont, 1952

Pogue, Michael G., 2010, The Hadeninae (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, USA 2380, Zootaxa 2380 (1), pp. 1-75 : 34-35

27. Leucania linda Franclemont Linda’s Wainscot

( Figs. 50–51 , Map 28)

Identification: Forewing length 14–17 mm. Overall appearance of the forewing is tan to light brown with a faint, pale gray shading along Cu vein to end of discal cell. Cu vein is highlighted white. There is a tiny black spot consisting of only a few scales at the end of the discal cell just dorsal to Cu vein. This tiny spot can be absent in worn specimens. Postmedial line consists of a series of 6–8 tiny black spots from costa to posterior margin. Terminal line consists of a series of minute black dots that can be absent in worn specimens. Hindwing is white with veins highlighted gray and varying amounts of gray shading along posterior margin.

Leucania linda is similar to L. adjuta , but the postmedial line in L. linda has 6–8 tiny black dots and in L. adjuta there are only two dots. The hindwing is whiter in L. linda and grayer in L. adjuta .

Flight period: Mid-May to mid-October, two broods annually.

Collected localities: North Carolina : Haywood Co., Balsam Mountain Road 6.1 mi N of junction with Blue Ridge Parkway on Hemphill Bald Trail, Cataloochee, Cataloochee NW of Palmer Chapel, Purchase Knob at house, Purchase Knob north of house in forest, Purchase Knob Eof house in field, Purchase Knob NE of house in field, Purchase Knob in trees on road; Swain Co., 200 yards up Tow String Road in meadow, Blue Ridge Parkway Thomas Divide overlook, 5.6 mi southwest of junction 441 and Clingmans Dome Road Noland Divide Trail, Mt. Buckley, 0.2 mi NE Twentymile Ranger Station, Big Cove Road site b, Big Cove Road site c, Big Cove Road site p, Big Cove Road site w, Ravensford, 0.7 km S Payne Cemetary. Tennessee: Blount Co., Cades Cove Ranger Station, Cades Cove Primitive Baptist Church, Cades Cove at Forge Creek Road, Scott Mountain Trail campsite 6, Tremont; Cocke Co., Cosby Campground, Cosby Ranger Station,

Foothills Parkway , Foothills Parkway 2.1 mi west Hwy. 321, Foothills Parkway 3 rd overlook from Cosby; Sevier Co., Park Headquarters. (47 specimens)

Elevation range: 1390–6560 ft. (424–1999 m)

General distribution: From Massachusetts south to South Carolina and west to Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas.

Larval hosts: Unknown, but probably grasses.

MAP 28. Collecting localities of Leucania linda .

Figures

FIGURES 49–56. Adults. 49, Leucania inermis, f, North Carolina, Avery Co., Grandfather Mtn., 5280 ft., 14 July 1974, D.C. Ferguson; 50, Leucania linda, m, Maryland, Montgomery Co., Colesville, 16 June 1975, D.C. Ferguson; 51, Leucania linda, m, Maryland, Montgomery Co., Colesville, 9 June 1974, D.C. Ferguson; 52, Leucania multilinea, m, Canada, Nova Scotia, Victoria Co., Kelley Mtn. near Englishtown, 28 July 1970, D.C. Ferguson; 53, Leucania phragmatidicola, f, Oklahoma, Cimarron Co., Black Mesa State Park, E end of primative area, 4312 ft., 24 Aug. 2004, M.G. Pogue; 54, Leucania phragmatidicola, f, Connecticut, New Haven Co., Hamden, 6 June 1966, D.C. Ferguson; 55, Leucania pseudargyria, m, New York, 3 July 1900; 56, Leucania scirpicola, f, Florida, Highlands Co., Lake Placid, Archbold Biological Station, 19 Feb. 1985, D.C. Ferguson.