Leucania adjuta (Grote) Adjutant Wainscot

Pogue, Michael G., 2010, The Hadeninae (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, USA 2380, Zootaxa 2380 (1), pp. 1-75 : 32-33

25. Leucania adjuta (Grote) Adjutant Wainscot

( Figs. 45–46 , Map 26)

Identification: Forewing length 14–16 mm. General overall forewing coloration is tan with darker brown shading along Cu vein, then angles slightly toward apex. There are two tiny black dots associated with vein Cu, one is at middle of discal cell below vein Cu and one at end of discal cell above vein Cu. Postmedial line consists of two tiny black dots, one on vein M2 and one on vein CuA2. Terminal line consists of a series of minute black dots. Hindwing is white variously and sometimes heavily suffused with gray. The outer margin is darker than the rest of the hindwing.

Flight period: Late April to mid-October, two to three broods annually.

Collected localities: North Carolina : Haywood Co., Balsam Mountain Road 5.2 mi N of junction with Blue Ridge Parkway on Flat Creek Trail, Balsam Mountain Road 6.1 mi N of junction with Blue Ridge Parkway on Hemphill Bald Trail, Balsam Mountain Road, Polls Gap, Hemphill Bald Trail, Cataloochee just off paved road to Cosby, 1 mi SE of Purchase house off Purchase Road in forest, Purchase Knob Eof house in field, Purchase Knob NE of house in field, Purchase Knob; Swain Co., 0.7 km up creek from mouth of Goldmine Creek; 200 yards up Tow String Road in meadow, Big Cove Road site p, Noland Divide Trailhead, 8.3 mi NW of Park entrance on 441 Kephart Prong Trail. Tennessee: Blount Co., vic. Cades Cove, Cades Cove Forge Creek Road, Foothills Parkway west at Little River, Gregory Bald Trail Eof campsite 13, Tremont; Cocke Co., Cosby campground area, Foothills Parkway 2.1 mi W Hwy. 321, Foothills Parkway first overlook, Foothills Parkway second overlook east, Foothills Parkway 4.5 mi from Rt. 321 third overlook; Sevier Co., Greenbrier area Old Settlers Trail off Ramsey Cascade Road, Jake’s Creek Trail near campsite 27, 6 mi S of Sugarlands Visitor Center on Hwy. 441. (51 specimens)

Elevation range: 1000–5930 ft. (305–1807 m)

General distribution: Ranges from New York south to Florida, west across the southeastern U.S. to Oklahoma and Texas , with one record from southern Ohio.

Larval hosts: As with all species of Leucania , L. adjuta is a grass feeder. Larvae obtained from eggs were reared on orchardgrass ( Dactylis glomerata L., Poaceae ) ( Godfrey 1972).

MAP 26. Collecting localities of Leucania adjuta .

Figures

FIGURES 41–48. Adults. 41, Sideridis congermana, m, Canada, Nova Scotia, Queens Co., Lake Keijimukujik, 18 June 1957, D.C. Ferguson; 42, Spiramater lutra, m, Tennessee, Blount Co., 0.1 mi W of Gregory Bald, 4929 ft., 27 May 2003, M.G. Pogue, USNMENT 00155153; 43, Spiramater lutra, m, Tennessee, Blount Co., Parsons Bald, 9 June 2002, L. & B. Merrit & M. Meyers, USNMENT 00153969; 44, Trichordestra legitima, m, North Carolina, Haywood Co., Purchase Knob, NE of house, field, 4925 ft., 2 Aug. 2003, M.G. Pogue, USNMENT 00218875; 45, Leucania adjuta, m, North Carolina, Swain Co., 8.3 mi NW GSMNP ent. on 441, Kephart Prong Trail, 2825 ft., 12 Oct. 2003, M.G. Pogue, USN- MENT 00219269; 46, Leucania adjuta, f, North Carolina, Haywood Co., Purchase Knob, NE of house, field, 4925 ft., 31 July 2003, M.G. Pogue, USNMENT 00156845; 47, Leucania inermis, m, Canada, Nova Scotia, Acaciaville, 29 June 1951, D.C. Ferguson; 48, Leucania inermis, m, Canada, Nova Scotia, Queens Co., Lake Kejimukujik, 12 June 1958, D.C. Ferguson.