Sulphur Moth - Hodges#6431
Hesperumia sulphuraria
This record describes Hesperumia sulphuraria (species). Recorded family: Geometridae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Adult - Most are primarily yellow, but a small portion has a large brown patch or markedly dark ante and postmedial bands. Rare individuals completely infuscated with brown scaling . Rindge's description follows: Forewings varying from cream colored to bright yellow; maculation extremely variable, with wings varying from immaculate, to having cross lines represented by either small dots or broad lines, to having part or entire median area more or less completely brown; discal spot usually present, dark brown, round or elliptical, large, 1 to 2 mm. wide and 2 mm. long, with some pale scaling medially; t. a. line, when present, arising on costa one-fourth distance from base, outwardly curved into cell, then going more or less at right angle to inner margin; median shade line, when present, arising near middle of costa and extending to discal spot, curving basad and thence to inner margin; t. p. line, when present, arising on costa threefourths distance from base, slightly concave to vein M1, then weakly S-shaped to inner margin, tending to have line thickened or outwardly dentate on veins; s. t. line absent; terminal line absent or weakly represented, pale brown; fringe varying from being concolorous with wing to dark brown. Hind wings white or pale grayish white, some suffused with yellow distally, and having a few scattered brown scales; maculation absent in most specimens, but brown postdiscal line sometimes partially represented; discal dot and terminal line absent; fringe concolorous with wing or slightly darkened [Randy Hardy] Specimen identified by DNA analysis:
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Geometroidea
- Family
- Geometridae (Geometrid Moths)
- Subfamily
- Ennominae
- Tribe
- Boarmiini
- Genus
- Hesperumia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Northwest Territories and British Columbia east across Canada to Nova Scotia and south to California, Arizona, New Mexico, western South Dakota, Missouri, and Virginia. Uncommon in the east, common in the west. [Randy Hardy]
Seasonal Activity
Adults fly from April to mid-August, most common in June and July
Diet and Behavior
Diet: wide variety of woody trees and shrubs, including broadleafs and conifers, with a preference to rosaceous plants. [Randy Hardy] One BugGuide contributor successfully raised the caterpillar to adult on Ceanothus megacarpus HERE .
Life History
passes winter as egg Larva:
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Hesperumia sulphuraria. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Lepidoptera includes approximately 180,000 described species of butterflies and moths. Moths outnumber butterflies roughly 10:1. The monarch butterfly's eastern population has declined by more than 80% since the mid-1990s, and the western population by over 95% since the 1980s. The IUCN lists the migratory monarch as Vulnerable.
Ecological role of the group
Butterflies and moths are essential indicators of ecosystem health. As caterpillars, they are a primary food source for birds - a single nest of blue tit chicks requires ~10,000 caterpillars. Adult moths pollinate many night-blooming plants.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Lepidoptera are critical pollinators. In Europe, grassland butterfly species have declined by almost 50% since the early 1990s. In the UK, three-quarters of butterflies are in decline. In the U.S., five butterfly species have gone extinct since 1950, with 29 listed as endangered.
Recorded sources for this group: IUCN Red List, Xerces Society, USFWS, PNAS, WWF. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Sulphur Moth - Hodges#6431 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Chuck Entz; Additional contributions by Maury Heiman , Randy Hardy , Robert H. Biagi
Frequently Asked Questions About Sulphur Moth - Hodges#6431
What is Sulphur Moth - Hodges#6431?
Sulphur Moth - Hodges#6431 (Hesperumia sulphuraria) is a species in the family Geometridae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Sulphur Moth - Hodges#6431?
Forewing length 15- 18 mm.
How do you identify Sulphur Moth - Hodges#6431?
Adult - Most are primarily yellow, but a small portion has a large brown patch or markedly dark ante and postmedial bands. Rare individuals completely infuscated with brown scaling . Rindge's description follows: Forewings varying from cream colored to bright yellow; maculation extremely variable, with wings varying from immaculate, to having cross lines represented by either small dots or broad lines, to having part or entire median area more or less completely brown; discal spot usually present, dark brown, round or elliptical, large, 1 to 2 mm. wide and 2 mm. long, with some pale scaling medially; t. a. line, when present, arising on costa one-fourth distance from base, outwardly curved into cell, then going more or less at right angle to inner margin; median shade line, when present, arising near middle of costa and extending to discal spot, curving basad and thence to inner margin; t. p. line, when present, arising on costa threefourths distance from base, slightly concave to vein M1, then weakly S-shaped to inner margin, tending to have line thickened or outwardly dentate on veins; s. t. line absent; terminal line absent or weakly represented, pale brown; fringe varying from being concolorous with wing to dark brown. Hind wings white or pale grayish white, some suffused with yellow distally, and having a few scattered brown scales; maculation absent in most specimens, but brown postdiscal line sometimes partially represented; discal dot and terminal line absent; fringe concolorous with wing or slightly darkened [Randy Hardy] Specimen identified by DNA analysis:
Where is Sulphur Moth - Hodges#6431 found?
Range: Northwest Territories and British Columbia east across Canada to Nova Scotia and south to California, Arizona, New Mexico, western South Dakota, Missouri, and Virginia. Uncommon in the east, common in the west. [Randy Hardy]
What does Sulphur Moth - Hodges#6431 eat?
The diet of the Sulphur Moth - Hodges#6431 includes wide variety of woody trees and shrubs, including broadleafs and conifers, with a preference to rosaceous plants. [Randy Hardy] One BugGuide contributor successfully raised the caterpillar to adult on Ceanothus megacarpus HERE ..
When is Sulphur Moth - Hodges#6431 active?
Sulphur Moth - Hodges#6431: seasonal activity - Adults fly from April to mid-August, most common in June and July.
What is the life cycle of a Sulphur Moth - Hodges#6431?
passes winter as egg Larva: