Nephelodes minians (Guenée) Bronzed Cutworm Moth

Pogue, Michael G., 2010, The Hadeninae (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, USA 2380, Zootaxa 2380 (1), pp. 1-75 : 23-24

14. Nephelodes minians (Guenée) Bronzed Cutworm Moth (adult), Bronzed Cutworm (larva)

( Fig. 29 , Map 15)

Identification: Forewing length 15–23 mm. Male antenna with short bipectinations, female antenna filiform. The forewing color varies from reddish brown to dark reddish brown. The antemedial line is a series of slight crescent-shaped lines between the veins that are darker than ground color or can be obscured in darker specimens. A large, median, dark reddish-brown irregular spot surrounds the orbicular and reniform spots, extends from costa to posterior margin with the postmedial line forming the distal margin. Hindwing is dirty white suffused with gray to dark gray and a pinkish fringe.

Flight period: September to mid October.

Collected localities: North Carolina : Haywood Co., Purchase Knob, Purchase Knob NW of house; Swain Co., Big Cove Road site b, Big Cove Road site c, Big Cove Road site p, Big Cove Road site w . Tennessee: Blount Co., Cades Cove near Ranger Station , Cades Cove Primitive Baptist Church , Cades Cove Campground , Tremont Environmental Center ; Cocke Co. , Cosby ATBI House , Cosby Campground area , Foothills Parkway 2 nd overlook east; Sevier Co. , Greenbrier near Ranger Station . (52 specimens)

Elevation range: 1360–4924 ft. (415–1501m)

General distribution: A widespread species occurring across Canada from Newfoundland to British Columbia and in the U.S. from Maine south to North Carolina, Tennessee, Louisiana, and Texas west to the west coast .

MAP 15. Collecting localities of Nephelodes minians .

Larval hosts: The bronzed cutworm is an occasional pest of lawns, golf roughs, and pastures ( Potter 1998). Hosts include corn ( Zea mays L., Poaceae ), grass ( Poa spp. , Poaceae ), cereal crops, bluegrass ( Poa spp. , Poaceae ), timothy ( Phleum pratense L., Poaceae ), clover ( Trifolium sp. , Fabaceae ), and has been reported feeding on the buds and leaves of fruit trees ( Crumb 1926, Tietz 1972, Potter 1998). French (1878) reported the bronzed cutworm feeding on corn, grass, and prostrate knotweed ( Polygonum aviculare L. Polygonaceae ) in captivity. The larva is illustrated in Wagner (2005).

Figures

FIGURES 25–32. Adults. 25, Orthosia revicta, m, New York, Tompkins Co., Ringwood Reserve near Dryden, 2 May 1965, D.C. Ferguson. 26, Orthosia rubescens, m, Connecticut, New Haven Co., Bethany, 13 Apr. 1968, D.C. Ferguson; 27, Orthosia rubescens, m, New York, Long Island, 11 Apr. 1901; 28, Orthosia rubescens, m, Connecticut, New Haven Co., Bethany, 13 Apr. 1968, D.C. Ferguson; 29, Nephelodes minians, m, Tennessee, Cocke Co., Foothills Parkway, second overlook East, 1800 ft., 21 Sep. 2001, D.R. Davis, USNMENT 00153373; 30, Dargida diffusa, m, New Mexico, Union Co., Clayton, 5.3 mi NW of Hwy. 87 on 370, 5214 ft., 23 Aug. 2004, M.G. Pogue; 31, Dargida diffusa, m, Colorado, Fremont Co., Coaldale, Hayden Creek, 6800 ft., 9 July 1982, D.C. Ferguson; 32, Hadena ectypa, f, Illinois, Cook Co., Chicago, 10 July 1927.