Polia nimbosa (Guenée) Stormy Arches

Pogue, Michael G., 2010, The Hadeninae (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, USA 2380, Zootaxa 2380 (1), pp. 1-75 : 29-30

21. Polia nimbosa (Guenée) Stormy Arches

( Figs. 39–40 , Map 22)

Identification: Forewing length 21–26 mm. Frons with a horizontal black bar between the eyes and just below the antennae. Male and female antennae are filiform. A dorsal tuft of scales is present in the middle of the mesothorax. Forewing ground color is white with black markings giving an overall light gray appearance. Orbicular and reniform spots are distinct and outlined in black. There is a series of small black spots along costa from basal line to just below apex. Terminal line consists of a series of black crescent-shaped spots between the wing veins. Hindwing is dark gray with a faint postmedial line.

Flight period: Late June through August.

MAP 22. Collecting localities of Polia nimbosa .

Collected localities: North Carolina : Haywood Co., Balsam Mtn. picnic area on Flat Creek trail, Balsam Mtn. road on Flat Creek trail, Rough Fork trail at Polls Gap on Balsam Mtn. road 6.1 mi N of Blue Ridge Parkway, Cataloochee pull of at Sal Patch Gap, Cataloochee service road off Cataloochee road, Balsam Mtn. road at Polls Gap on Hemphill Bald trail, trail to Hannah Hogden Cemetery, Mt. Sterling trail, Mt. Sterling trail 0.72 mi from Trailhead, Mt. Sterling trail, Mt. Sterling trail 1.54 mi from Trailhead, Purchase Knob, Purchase Knob at house, Purchase Knob E of house in field, Purchase Knob E of house in forest, Purchase Knob N of house in forest, Purchase Knob NE of house in field, Purchase Knob NW of house in forest, Purchase Knob 0.5 mi N of gate; Swain Co., 200 yds. up Tow String road in meadow, Beetree Ridge, Big Cove Rd. site b, 1.2 mi NE of Clingman’s Dome parking lot on Noland Divide trail, 3.3 mi NE of Clingman’s Dome parking lot on Fork Ridge trail, boglet 0.5 mi NW of Collins Creek picnic area, 5.6 mi SW of Jct. 441 and Clingman’s Dome road on Noland Divide trail, Noland Creek, Noland Divide trailhead, Tricorner Knob, Upper Noland Divide trail ca. Clingman’s Dome, Forney Creek 0.4 km up trail from lake. Tennessee Co., Sevier Co., W of Campsite 20, Cove Forest pullout on Rt. 441, 1 mi above Chimneys Campground, Hwy. 441 at upper hairpin, Campsite 27 on Jake’s Creek trail, below Campsite 27 on Jake’s Creek trail, near Campsite 27 on Jake’s Creek trail, above Campsite 27 on Jake’s Creek trail, Jake’s Creek Trail, 1.3 mi W of Jct. 441 and Clingman’s Dome road on Road Prong Trail, Road Prong Trail at road, ca. 7 mi S of Sugarlands Visitor Center. (162 specimens)

Elevation range: 2120–6000 ft. (646–1829 m)

General distribution: This is a widely distributed species from Manitoba, Alberta , and British Columbia in Canada, and from New Hampshire to North Carolina and Tennessee in the eastern U.S. west to Wisconsin, Montana, Colorado, Idaho, Oregon , and Washington.

Larval hosts: Feeds on woody shrubs and trees, including alder ( Alnus spp. , Betulaceae ), red alder ( Alnus rubra Bong. , Betulaceae ), huckleberry ( Gaylussacia sp. , Ericaceae ), vine maple ( Acer circinatum Pursh , Aceraceae ), and gooseberry ( Ribes sp. , Grossulariaceae ) ( Godfrey 1972).

Figures

FIGURES 33–40. Adults. 33, Melanchra adjuncta, m, Virginia, Montgomery Co.; 34, Melanchra assimilis, m, Canada, Newfoundland, Doyles, Codroy Valley, 8 July 1959, D.C. Ferguson; 35, Polia detracta, m, North Carolina, Haywood Co., Purchase Knob, 4924 ft., 8 June 2002, J. Adams, USNMENT 00153850; 36, Polia detracta, m, Tennessee, Sevier Co., Campsite 20, 2520 ft., 22 June 2004, M.G. Pogue, USNMENT 00220921; 37, Polia detracta, m, North Carolina, Swain Co., 15.2 mi NE GSMNP ent. on 441, Deep Creek Trail, 4815 ft., 8 June 2003, M.G. Pogue, USNMENT 00155420; 38, Polia imbrifera, m, North Carolina, Haywood Co., Polls Gap, Rough Fork Trail, 5140 ft., 28 June 2004, M.G. Pogue, USNMENT 00221234; 39, Polia nimbosa, m, North Carolina, Swain Co., 5.6 mi SW of Jct. 441 & Clingmans Dome Rd., Noland Divide Trail, 5950 ft., 28 July 2003, M.G. Pogue, USNMENT 00156519; 40, Polia nimbosa, m, Tennessee, Sevier Co., 1.3 mi W of Jct. 441 & Clingmans Dome Rd., Road Prong Trail, 28 July 2003, M.G. Pogue, USN- MENT 00156574.