Leucania multilinea Walker, 1856

Pogue, Michael G., 2010, The Hadeninae (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, USA 2380, Zootaxa 2380 (1), pp. 1-75 : 35-36

28. Leucania multilinea Walker Many-lined Wainscot

( Fig. 52 , Map 29)

Identification: Forewing length 15–17 mm. Overall appearance of the forewing is tan with a dark brown shading along Cu vein to end of discal cell then continuing above vein M2 to outer margin. There are two tiny black dots associated with vein Cu, one is at middle of discal cell below vein Cu (can be reduced to absent) and one at end of discal cell above vein Cu. Postmedial line consists of 2–3 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 with a few black dots between veins along posterior margin.

This species resembles L. adjuta but the forewing horizontal dark stripe is much darker in L. multilinea . The hindwing is white with only tiny black dots along the posterior margin in L. multilinea and in L. adjuta the hindwing is gray with a distinct marginal band of darker gray.

MAP 29. Collecting localities of Leucania multilinea .

Flight period: May to October, double brooded.

Collected localities: North Carolina : Haywood Co., Cataloochee, Purchase Knob, Purchase Knob NW of house; Swain Co., Mt. Buckley . Tennessee: Blount Co., Cades Cove campground, Cades Cove Primitive Baptist Church ; Sevier Co. , Elkmont , Park Headquarters. (17 specimens)

Elevation range: 1480–6560 ft. (451–1999 m)

General distribution: Across Canada from Nova Scotia to Alberta. In the eastern U.S. this species ranges from New York south to Florida and west to Montana.

Larval hosts: Another grass feeder, feeding on sugarcane ( Saccharum officinarum L., Poaceae ) and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench, Poaceae ) ( Vickery 1915). Other hosts include brome ( Bromus sp. , Poaceae ), quackgrass ( Elymus repens (L.) Gould, Poaceae ), and larvae obtained from eggs were reared on orchardgrass ( Dactylis glomerata L., Poaceae ) ( Godfrey 1972).

Figures

FIGURES 49–56. Adults. 49, Leucania inermis, f, North Carolina, Avery Co., Grandfather Mtn., 5280 ft., 14 July 1974, D.C. Ferguson; 50, Leucania linda, m, Maryland, Montgomery Co., Colesville, 16 June 1975, D.C. Ferguson; 51, Leucania linda, m, Maryland, Montgomery Co., Colesville, 9 June 1974, D.C. Ferguson; 52, Leucania multilinea, m, Canada, Nova Scotia, Victoria Co., Kelley Mtn. near Englishtown, 28 July 1970, D.C. Ferguson; 53, Leucania phragmatidicola, f, Oklahoma, Cimarron Co., Black Mesa State Park, E end of primative area, 4312 ft., 24 Aug. 2004, M.G. Pogue; 54, Leucania phragmatidicola, f, Connecticut, New Haven Co., Hamden, 6 June 1966, D.C. Ferguson; 55, Leucania pseudargyria, m, New York, 3 July 1900; 56, Leucania scirpicola, f, Florida, Highlands Co., Lake Placid, Archbold Biological Station, 19 Feb. 1985, D.C. Ferguson.