Lacinipolia renigera (Stephens) Bristly Cutworm Moth

Pogue, Michael G., 2010, The Hadeninae (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, USA 2380, Zootaxa 2380 (1), pp. 1-75 : 47-48

43. Lacinipolia renigera (Stephens) Bristly Cutworm Moth (adult), Bristly Cutworm (larva)

( Figs. 80–81 , Map 44)

Identification: Forewing length 10–13 mm. Overall forewing coloration is brown. Basal area has a median, horizontal stripe of olive green that extends onto middle of antemedial line. A large, black claviform spot is contiguous with the olive green segment of the antemedial line. Orbicular spot is ground color bordered by black proximally and distally. Reniform spot is conspicuous, olive green with a white ventral margin, and bordered with black. Postmedial line is thin and black angled from the top of the discal cell toward the outer margin then abruptly angles proximally to posterior margin. There is a conspicuous olive green patch of scales adjacent to the postmedial line just above posterior margin of forewing. Subterminal area can have a varying degree of dark pinkish scales throughout in some specimens. Hindwing is white suffused with gray toward margin. Some specimens can have an almost completely gray hindwing.

Flight period: May to October, multiple brooded.

Collected localities: North Carolina : Haywood Co., Cataloochee NW of Palmer Chapel, Purchase Knob , Purchase Knob at house, Purchase Knob cabin, Purchase Knob Eof house in field, Purchase Knob in woods at base of knob, Purchase Knob north of house in forest, Purchase Knob NE of house in field, Purchase Knob NW of house in forest; Swain Co., Big Cove Road site b, Big Cove Road site c, Big Cove Road site p, Big Cove Road site w; 0.7 km up creek from mouth of Goldmine Creek , Smokemont . Tennessee: Blount Co., Cades Cove Primitive Baptist Church, Cades Cove Ranger Station , Gregory Bald , Tremont ; Cocke Co. , Cosby ATBI house, Cosby campground area, Cosby Ranger Station , Foothills Parkway , Foothills Parkway second overlook, Foothills Parkway East ; Sevier Co. , Greenbrier Ranger Station , Elkmont , Park Headquarters. (103 specimens)

Elevation range: 1360–4998 ft. (415–15253 m)

General distribution: A widespread species across North America from New Brunswick , Newfoundland, and Nova Scotia across Canada to Alberta . In the U.S. it ranges from Maine south to South Carolina and west to Washington and California.

Larval hosts: This is a polyphagous species feeding on many wild and cultivated plants. Hosts include chichory ( Cichorium intybus L., Asteraceae ), lettuce ( Latuca sp. , Asteraceae ), white heath aster ( Symphyotrichum ericoides (L.) G.L. Nesom var. ericoides , Asteraceae ), comfrey ( Symphytum sp. , Boraginaceae ), cabbage ( Brassica oleracea L., Brassicaceae ), turnip ( Brassica napus L., Brassicaceae ), mouse-ear chickweed ( Cerastium sp. , Caryophyllaceae ), alfalfa ( Medicago sativa L., Fabaceae ), clover ( Trifolium sp. , Fabaceae ), common plantain ( Plantago major L., Plantaginaceae ), narrowleaf plantain ( Plantago lanceolate L., Plantaginaceae ), corn ( Zea mays L., Poaceae ), grasses ( Poa spp. , Poaceae ), curly dock ( Rumex crispus L., Polygonaceae ), apple ( Malus sp. , Rosaceae ), cottonwood leaves ( Populus sp. , Salicaceae ), and tobacco ( Nicotiana sp. , Solanaceae ) ( Godfrey 1972). Larvae obtained from eggs were reared on common dandelion ( Taraxacum officinale F.H. Wigg. , Asteraceae ) ( Godfrey 1972).

MAP 44. Collecting localities of Lacinipolia renigera .

Figures

FIGURES 73–80. Adults. 73, Lacinipolia laudabilis, m, Virginia, Fairfax Co., Alexandria (Rose Hill), 1 Sep. 1976, P.A. Opler; 74, Lacinipolia laudabilis, f, South Carolina, Charleston Co., McClellanville, Wedge Plantation, 25 Apr. 1980, D.C. Ferguson; 75, Lacinipolia lorea, m, Tennessee, Blount Co., Tremont Env. Ctr., 1360 ft., 8 June 2002, M.G. Pogue, USNMENT 00153791; 76, Lacinipolia meditata, m, Tennessee, Cocke Co., Foothills Parkway, second overlook East, 21 Sep. 2000, D. & M. Davis, USNMENT 00153309; 77, Lacinipolia olivacea, m, Tennessee, Sevier Co., 1.3 mi W Jct. 441 & Clingmans Dome Road, Road Prong Trail, 5260 ft., 28 July 2003, M.G. Pogue, USNMENT 00156550; 78, Lacinipolia olivacea, f, North Carolina, Haywood Co., Purchase Knob, E of house, forest, 4838 ft., 31 July 2003, M.G. Pogue, USN- MENT 00156911; 79, Lacinipolia olivacea, f, North Carolina, Haywood Co., Purchase Knob, NE of house, field, 4925 ft., 2 Aug. 2003, M.G. Pogue, USNMENT 00218845; 80, Lacinipolia renigera, m, North Carolina, Haywood Co., Purchase Knob, N of house, forest, 4998 ft., 1 Aug. 2003, M.G. Pogue, USNMENT 00218653.

FIGURES 81–88. Adults. 81, Lacinipolia renigera, f, North Carolina, Haywood Co., Cataloochee, NW of Palmer Chapel, 2650 ft., 19 May 2005, M.G. Pogue, USNMENT 00254492; 82, Lacinipolia teligera, m, Tennessee, Cocke Co., Foothills Parkway, second overlook East, 1800 ft., 21 Sep. 2000, D. &. M. Davis, USNMENT 00153254; 83, Orthodes majuscula, m, North Carolina, Haywood Co, Balsam Mtn. Rd. 6.1 mi N of Jct. Blue Ridge Parkway, on Hemphill Bald Trail, 5125 ft., 8 Oct. 2003, M.G. Pogue, USNMENT 00219202; 84, Orthodes majuscula, f, Tennessee, Sevier Co., Jake’s Creek Trail, below Campsite #27, 3595 ft., 24 July 2004, M.G. Pogue, USNMENT 00147176; 85, Orthodes cynica, m, Maryland, Montgomery Co., Colesville, 6 June 1975, D.C. Ferguson; 86, Orthodes cynica, m, Canada, Nova Scotia, Halifax Co., Halifax Watershed, Bog E of Big Indian Lake, 26 June 1968, D.C. Ferguson; 87, Orthodes cynica, f, New York, Kings Co., Brooklyn, 6 June 1901; 88, Orthodes goodelli, m, North Carolina, Jackson Co., Balsam, 3200 ft., 20 June 1974, D.C. Ferguson.