Nigetia formosalis Walker, 1866

Pogue, Michael G., 2012, The Aventiinae, Boletobiinae, Eublemminae, Pangraptinae, Phytometrinae, and Scolecocampinae (Lepidoptera: Noctuoidea: Erebidae) of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, U. S. A., Zootaxa 3153, pp. 1-31 : 25-26

5. Nigetia formosalis Walker, 1866 Thin-winged Owlet

( Fig. 49 , Map 23)

Identification. Forewing length 7.5–9.3 mm. Nigetia formosalis is a small species that is easily recognized by the white forewing, black costa, and black medial band. Head is black, labial palpus appressed to frons with elongate scales giving the palpus a triangular appearance, and frons bare. Forewing is white with a black, horizontal costal band with a series of short white dashes on costa from just prior to medial band to apex; medial band black; terminal area with gray scales tipped with white; terminal line a series of black spots between veins that decrease in size toward termen; fringe black at apex, white medially, and brownish rufous and white to termen. Hind wing is pale gray with a thin, black terminal line and a white dash bordered by black scales at anal angle.

Flight period. Late May to mid September, probably multiple brooded.

Collected localities. North Carolina: Haywood Co.: Cataloochee, pull off at Sal Patch Gap; Swain Co.: Big Cove Rd., site b, site c, site p; 0.5 km from mouth of Chambers Creek, 300 feet up hillside on NW side; 300 ft. above Lake Fontana on Welch Ridge. Tennessee: Blount Co.: vicinity Cades Cove; Cades Cove Ranger Station; Cades Cove Primitive Baptist Church; Cades Cove ATBI house, 2000 m SW; Tremont; Cocke Co.: Foothills Parkway. (30 specimens)

Elevation range. 1360–3440 ft. (415–1049 m)

General distribution. Distributed from New York south to Florida and west to Michigan, Missouri, Arkansas, Mississippi, east Texas, and Oklahoma.

Larval hosts. Unknown.

MAP 23. Collecting localities of Nigetia formosalis .

Figures

FIGURES 33 – 55. Adults. 33, Hyperstrotia secta, m, North Carolina, Jackson Co.: Balsam, 24 June 1974, D. C. Ferguson; 34, Hyperstrotia secta, f, Maryland, Prince Georges Co.: Beltsville, 26 May, 1986, D. C. Ferguson; 35, Hyperstrotia villificans, m, North Carolina, Swain Co.: Hazel Creek, Bradshaw Cemetery, GSMNP, 2040 ft., 23 July 2007, M. Pogue, D. Adamski, M. Metz, GSMNP 0047; 36, Hyperstrotia villificans, f, North Carolina, Swain Co.: Hazel Creek, Bradshaw Cemetery, GSMNP, 2040 ft., 23 July 2007, M. Pogue, D. Adamski, M. Metz, GSMNP 0046; 37, Hyperstrotia villificans, f, Maryland, Montgomery Co.: Colesville, 8 Aug. 1980, D. C. Ferguson; 38, Abablemma brimleyana, m, Florida, Putnam Co., University Reserve, Welaka, 5 Apr. 1972, D. C. Ferguson; 39, Abablemma brimleyana, f, South Carolina, Charleston Co., Wedge Plantation, McClellanville, 3 June 1978, D. C. Ferguson; 40, Arugisa lutea, m, Florida, Monroe Co., Big Pine Key, 26 Nov. 1976, D. C. Ferguson; 41, Arugisa lutea, m, Maryland, Dorchester Co., Decoursey Bridge Rd., 13 Aug. 1993, J. Glaser; 42, Gabara subnivosella, m, Tennessee, Blount Co., Ace Gap Trailhead, 24 July 2000, M. G. Pogue; 43, Gabara subnivosella, m, Kansas, Johnson Co., Shawnee Mission Park, 17 June 1962, J. R. Heitzman; 44, Gabara subnivosella, m, Massachusetts, Nantucket Co., Nantucket, 12 July, 1928; 45, Gabara subnivosella, m, Massachusetts, Dukes Co., Martha’s Vineyard, 23 July, F. M. Jones; 46, Isogona tenuis, m, Tennessee, Blount Co., Campsite 6, along Scott Mtn. Trail, 3324 ft., 5 Aug. 2003, M. G. Pogue, USNM 00219096; 47, Isogona tenuis, f, Texas, Hidalgo Co., Santa Ann Refuge, 9 Mar. 1977, A. & M. E. Blanchard; 48, Isogona tenuis, f, Texas, Nickel Creek, Guadalupe Mts., 5000 ft., 22 May 1973, A. & M. E. Blanchard; 49, Nigetia formosalis, m, North Carolina, Haywood Co., Cataloochee, downhill from pull-off, 3440 ft., 19 July 2007, M. Pogue, D. Adamski, M. Metz; 50, Scolecocampa liburna, m, Tennessee, Sevier Co., Greenbrier area, end of Ramsey Cascade Rd., uphill from parking lot, 2066 ft., 26 June 2004, M. G. Pogue, USNM 00221326; 51, Scolecocampa liburna, m, Tennessee, Sevier Co., Greenbrier area, end of Ramsey Cascade Rd., uphill from parking lot, 2066 ft., 26 June 2004, M. G. Pogue, USNM 00221327; 52, Sigela brauneata, m, Tennessee, Cocke Co., 0.6 mi from Jct. of Rt. 32 on road to Cosby campground, 1765 ft., GSMNP, 28 July 2007, M. Pogue, D. Adamski, M. Metz, GSMNP 1907; 53 Sigela penumbrata, m, Texas, Nueces Co., N. Padre Island, 21 June 1977, A. & M. E. Blanchard; 54, Sigela penumbrata, m, Florida, Monroe Co., Big Pine Key, 26 Nov. 1976, D. C. Ferguson; 55, Sigela penumbrata, f, Florida, Dade Co., Homestead, 26 Nov. 1976, D. C. Ferguson.