Orthosia alurina (Smith) Gray Quaker

Pogue, Michael G., 2010, The Hadeninae (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, USA 2380, Zootaxa 2380 (1), pp. 1-75 : 19

9. Orthosia alurina (Smith) Gray Quaker

( Figs. 18–19 , Map 10)

Identification: Forewing length 15–18 mm. Male has bipectinate antennae, filiform in female. Ground color of forewing reddish-brown with antemedial, medial, postmedial, and subterminal lines a darker ground color and inconspicuous; in some specimens there can be a few black scales in these lines. Orbicular and reniform spots faint and outlined with cream-colored scales. Hindwing dirty white suffused with dark gray scales. A small discal spot is present, terminal line thin, and some specimens have a faint postmedial line.

Flight period: March to April.

Collected localities: North Carolina : Haywood Co., Purchase Knob; Swain Co., Beetree Ridge; Noland Creek . Tennessee: Cocke Co., Cosby Ranger Station . (5 specimens)

Elevation range: 1750–4924 ft. (533–1501 m)

General distribution: This is an eastern species distributed from New York south to Florida and west to Kansas and Texas.

Larval hosts: Eggs were obtained from females and the larvae were reared on chokecherry ( Prunus virginiana L., Rosaceae ) and black cherry ( Prunus serotina Ehrh. , Rosaceae ) ( Godfrey 1972). The larva is described in Wagner (2005).

MAP 10. Collecting localities of Orthosia alurina .

Figures

FIGURES 17–24. Adults. 17, Morrisonia triangula, f, South Carolina, Charleston Co., McClellanville, Wedge Plantation, 7 Apr. 1977, D.C. Ferguson; 18, Orthosia alurina, f, New York, Tompkins Co., Ithaca, Forest Home, Golf Course Woods, 23 Apr. 1961, D.C. Ferguson; 19, Orthosia alurina, f, New York, Tompkins Co., Ithaca, Forest Home, Golf Course Woods, 23 Apr. 1961, D.C. Ferguson; 20, Orthosia garmani, f, Connecticut, New Haven Co., Bethany, 6 Apr. 1969, D.C. Ferguson; 21, Orthosia garmani, f, Pennsylvania, Bucks Co., Reading, 9 Apr. 1959; 22, Orthosia hibisci, f, New York, 30 Mar. 1905; 23, Orthosia hibisci, m, Connecticutt, New Haven Co., New Haven, Yale Preserve, 17 Apr. 1964, D.C. Ferguson; 24, Orthosia revicta, f, New York, Tompkins Co., Ringwood Reserve near Dryden, 2 May 1965, D.C. Ferguson.