common oak moth

(Phoberia atomaris)

common oak moth
Photo by Greg Watson
  Hodges #

8591

 
 
Conservation Status
  IUCN Red List

not listed

 
  NatureServe

NNR - Unranked

SNR - Unranked

 
  Minnesota

not listed

 
           
 
Description
 
 

Common oak moth is a medium-sized, early season, graphic owlet moth. It occurs in the United States and southern Canada east of the Great Plains. Adults are found from March to May in woodlands and at forest edges.

Adults are 1116 to (18 to 23 mm) in length and have a wingspan of about 1½ (38 mm). Moth size is sometimes given in terms of forewing length, which on this moth is to 1116 (17 to 18 mm).

The forewing background color is variable, from pale grayish-tan to brown. From the wing base to the tip there is a basal line, an antemedial (AM) line, a median line, a postmedial (PM) line, a subterminal (ST) line, and a terminal line. The AM line is a dark band bordered below with a thin pale line. The median line is a diffuse dark band. The PM line is pale and thin. The ST line is jagged, pale, and thin, but is often indistinct. The area between the PM and ST lines forms a dark band. The terminal line is represented by a row of dark spots between the veins. This may be the feature that gives the moth its species epithet atomaris, which means “with minute dots or points.” The kidney-shaped spot (reniform spot) in the rear half of the median area has a pale border above and is variably filled with dark scales. It sometimes appears as two separate spots.

The caterpillar is up to 1916 (4 cm) long, brown, and patterned with several pale to deep chocolate brown longitudinal stripes. The middle (middorsal) stripe is dark, bordered on each side by a wavy pale line that sometimes breaks the middorsal line into a row of diamond-shaped spots. A black stripe on each upper side (subdorsal) is broken into a series of irregular spots. On the sides of the abdomen there is a dark band that includes the breathing pores (spiracles). The leg-like structure (proleg) on the fourth abdominal segment (A4) is half as large as those on A5 and A6, and the proleg on A3 is half as large as the one on A4.

 
     
 

Size

 
 

Total length: 1116 to (18 to 23 mm)

Wingspan: about 1½ (38 mm)

Forewing length: to 1116 (17 to 18 mm)

 
     
 

Similar Species

 
     
     
 
Habitat
 
 

Woodlands and forest edges

 
     
 
Biology
 
 

Season

 
 

One generation per year: March to May

 
     
 

Behavior

 
 

The larvae feed on leaves at night and are seldom seen.

Adults are active at night and will come to lights. The wings are held flat when at rest.

 
     
 

Life Cycle

 
 

 

 
     
 

Larva Hosts

 
 

Oaks

 
     
 

Adult Food

 
 

 

 
     
 
Distribution
 
 

Distribution Map

 

Sources

4, 21, 24, 29, 30, 75, 82, 83.

 
  5/18/2023      
         
 

Occurrence

 
 

 

 
         
 
Taxonomy
 
 

Order

Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths)  
 

Superfamily

Noctuoidea (owlet moths and allies)  
 

Family

Erebidae (underwing, tiger, tussock, and allied moths)  
 

Subfamily

Erebinae (underwings, zales, and related owlets)  
 

Tribe

Melipotini (graphic owlets)  
 

Genus

Phoberia  
       
 

Synonyms

 
 

Lyssia orthosiodes

Phoberia orthosiodes

Poaphila ingenua

Poaphila porrigens

 
       
 

Common Names

 
 

common oak moth

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glossary

Proleg

A fleshy structure on the abdomen of some insect larvae that functions as a leg, but lacks the five segments of a true insect leg.

 

Spiracle

A small opening on the surface of an insect through which the insect breathes.

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
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Greg Watson

 
    common oak moth   common oak moth  
           
 
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Other Videos
 
  Common Oak Moth (Phoberia atomaris)
Carl Barrentine
 
   
 
About

May 18, 2013

This Common Oak Moth (Phoberia atomaris) was collected at Fisher, Minnesota (18 May 2013).

 
  Common Oak Moth (Phoberia atomaris)
Carl Barrentine
 
   
 
About

May 28, 2013

This Common Oak Moth (Phoberia atomaris) preens, parades, then flies for the videographer. Photographed at the Turtle River State Park, North Dakota (28 May 2013).

 
  Common Oak Moth (Erebidae: Phoberia atomaris)
Carl Barrentine
 
   
 
About

Apr 29, 2011

Photographed at Fisher, Minnesota (28 April 2011). Thank you to Jan Metlevski (@ bugguide.net) for confirming the identity of this specimen!

 

 

Camcorder

 
 
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  Greg Watson
5/8/2023

Location: Great River Bluff State Park

common oak moth

 
           
 
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Created: 5/18/2023

Last Updated:

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