Morrisonia confusa (Hübner) Confused Woodgrain

Pogue, Michael G., 2010, The Hadeninae (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, USA 2380, Zootaxa 2380 (1), pp. 1-75 : 15-16

5. Morrisonia confusa (Hübner) Confused Woodgrain

( Fig. 9 , Map 6)

Identification: Forewing length (14–19 mm). Forewing ground color dark brown to reddish brown but with many other shades of brown giving the wing a streaked appearance. A thin black line extends from base of wing to antemedial line. Orbicular and reniform spots with ground color centers, cream-colored border, and thin black outer border that is never complete. Subterminal line black, zigzag with faint white spots at apices of zigzag line, a solid white border of scales from vein CuA2 to posterior border. Hindwing with varying amounts of gray scales, veins highlighted gray, small gray discal spot present, with wing becoming darker toward outer margin.

Flight period: Late April to early June.

Collected localities: North Carolina : Haywood Co., Cataloochee just off paved road to Cosby, Purchase Knob, Purchase Knob at house, Purchase Knob at lower creek, Purchase Knob NW of house; Swain Co., Beetree Ridge, Big Cove Road site b, Big Cove Road site c, Big Cove Road site p, Noland Creek . Tennessee: Blount Co., Cold Spring Gap, Tremont GSMI; Cocke Co. , Foothills Parkway south overlook; Sevier Co. , Park Headquarters , Sugarlands Visitor Center bathrooms. (27 specimens)

Elevation range: 1390–4924 ft. (424–1501 m)

General distribution: An eastern species distributed in Nova Scotia, Canada, and in the U.S. from Maine to Florida and west to Michigan, Missouri and Texas.

Larval hosts: A polyphagous species on both deciduous and coniferous trees and forbs. The following hosts are arranged in order of preference based on the number of specimens collected from each host: red maple ( Acer rubrum L., Aceraceae ), American basswood ( Tilia americana L., Tiliaceae ), European white birch ( Betula pendula Roth , Betulaceae ), American elm ( Ulmus americana L., Ulmaceae ), cherry ( Prunus sp. , Rosaceae ), balsam poplar ( Populus balsamifera L., Salicaceae ), ironwood ( Eusideroxylon sp. Teijsm. & Binnend., Lauraceae ), horse chestnut ( Aesculus hippocastanum L., Hippocastanaceae ), and red oak ( Quercus rubra L., Fagaceae ) ( Prentice 1962). Other host plants include: ash ( Fraxinus sp. , Oleaceae ), blueberry ( Vaccinium sp. , Ericaceae ), rhododendron ( Rhododendron sp. , Ericaceae ), American sycamore ( Platanus occidentalis L. Platanaceae ), walnut ( Juglans sp. , Juglandaceae ), willow ( Salix sp. , Salicaceae ) ( Wagner 2005). The larva is illustrated in Wagner (2005).

MAP 6. Collecting localities of Morrisonia confusa .

Figures

FIGURES 9–16. Adults. 9, Morrisonia confusa, m, Maryland, Montgomery Co., Seneca, Sycamore Landing, 21 Apr.