Hadena ectypa (Morrison) The Starry Campion Moth

Pogue, Michael G., 2010, The Hadeninae (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, USA 2380, Zootaxa 2380 (1), pp. 1-75 : 25

16. Hadena ectypa (Morrison) The Starry Campion Moth

( Fig. 32 , Map 17)

Identification: Forewing length 12–15 mm. Overall appearance is that of a dark gray moth with patterns of gray, brown, and black. The most distinguishing characters are the large black, triangular shaped claviform spot just below the orbicular spot and the fine, white subterminal line running from the apex to the posterior margin. Along the costa just prior to the subterminal line are three white dashes. The orbicular spot is angled toward the head and the reniform spot is more or less vertical and both are ground color, with fine black borders distally and proximally. Hindwing is dark gray to dark brown with a white fringe.

Flight period: End of May and end of July.

Collected localities: North Carolina : Haywood Co., Purchase Knob E of house, Purchase Knob at lower creek; Swain Co., Big Cove Road site p. (5 specimens)

Elevation range: 2040 and 4000–4838 ft. (622 and 1219–1475 m)

General distribution: An uncommon species from New York south to Great Smoky Mountains National Park and west to Illinois and Kansas .

Larval hosts: The larvae are seed predators and seem to be restricted to only two closely related host plants, widowsfrill ( Silene stellata (L.) W.T. Aiton, Caryophyllaceae ) and fire pink ( Silene virginica L.) ( Kephart et al. 2005).

MAP 17. Collecting localities of Hadena ectypa .

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.