dark-banded owlet

(Phalaenophana pyramusalis)

dark-banded owlet
Photo by Alfredo Colon
  Hodges #

8338

 
 
Conservation Status
  IUCN Red List

not listed

 
  NatureServe

NNR - Unranked

SNR - Unranked

 
  Minnesota

not listed

 
           
 
Description
 
 

Dark-banded owlet is a medium-sized litter moth. It occurs in the United States east of the Great Plains, and in southern Canada from Nova Scotia to Alberta. It is common in Minnesota. Adults are found in from April through August in woodlands, fields, and gardens. Larvae feed on wilted leaves that are blackened with decay.

Adults are roughly triangular in shape (deltoid), are ½ to 916 (12 to 14 mm) in length, and have a ¾ to 1 (20 to 25 mm) wingspan.

The forewings are concave on the upper half of the outer margin, making the wingtip (apex) appear pointed. They are pale tan or grayish-brown and are crossed with lines and bands. From the wing base to the tip there is an antemedial (AM) band, two median lines, a postmedial (PM) band, a subterminal (ST) line, and a terminal line. The AM band is dark, straight, and broad. It is sharply bordered in front and fades in the rear. The median lines are dark, jagged, and widely separated. The front line is broad with ill-defined edges. The rear line is thin and well-defined. The PM band is broad, dark, and slightly wavy. The ST line is pale and jagged. It is defined by the PM band above and a diffuse dark area below. The terminal line is represented by a series of connected, dark, shallow, forward-pointing chevrons, one centered on each vein. There is a round spot (orbicular spot) between the AM band and upper median line, and a kidney-shaped spot (reniform spot) between the two median lines. Both spots are close to the leading (costal) margin. The orbicular spot is usually reduced to just a single, small, dark dot. The reniform spot is two small, distinctly separated dots. There is an oblique, poorly-defined, dark line extending from the apex toward the ST line.

The hindwing is paler with a thin dark terminal line.

The head and thorax are the same color as the forewings. The antennae on both sexes are slender and thread-like. On the male they are moderately covered with long bristles.

 
     
 

Size

 
 

Total length: ½ to 916 (12 to 14 mm)

Wingspan: ¾ to 1 (20 to 25 mm)

 
     
 

Similar Species

 
     
     
 
Habitat
 
 

Woodlands, fields, and gardens

 
     
 
Biology
 
 

Season

 
 

Two generations per year: April through August

 
     
 

Behavior

 
 

Adults rest with their wings held flat. They are active at night and will come to lights.

 
     
 

Life Cycle

 
 

 

 
     
 

Larva Hosts

 
 

Dead leaves blackened with decay

 
     
 

Adult Food

 
 

 

 
     
 
Distribution
 
 

Distribution Map

 

Sources

4, 21, 24, 29, 30, 71, 75, 82.

 
  10/22/2022      
         
 

Occurrence

 
 

Common in Minnesota

 
         
 
Taxonomy
 
 

Order

Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths)  
 

Superfamily

Noctuoidea (owlet moths and allies)  
 

Family

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

Subfamily

Herminiinae (litter moths)  
 

Genus

Phalaenophana  
       
 

In 2011 the family Arctiidae (tiger moths and lichen moths) was transferred to the family Erebidae mostly intact but demoted to a subfamily. The former subfamilies are now tribes, the former tribes now subtribes.

 
       
 

Synonyms

 
 

 

 
       
 

Common Names

 
 

dark-banded owlet

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glossary

Costal margin

The leading edge of the forewing of insects.

 

Orbicular spot

A circular spot or outline in the upper median area near the antemedial line on the forewing of many moths.

 

Reniform spot

A kidney-shaped spot or outline in the lower median area near the PM line on the forewing of many moths.

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
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Alfredo Colon

 
    dark-banded owlet   dark-banded owlet  
           
    dark-banded owlet   dark-banded owlet  
           
 
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  Alfredo Colon
6/4/2021

Location: Woodbury, MN

dark-banded owlet  
  Alfredo Colon
8/8/2019

Location: Woodbury, MN

dark-banded owlet  
  Alfredo Colon
8/7/2019

Location: Woodbury, MN

dark-banded owlet  
  Alfredo Colon
8/6/2019

Location: Woodbury, MN

dark-banded owlet  
           
 
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Created: 12/16/2020

Last Updated:

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