dark-spotted palthis

(Palthis angulalis)

dark-spotted palthis
Photo by Alfredo Colon
  Hodges #

8397

 
 
Conservation Status
  IUCN Red List

not listed

 
  NatureServe

N5 - Secure

SNR - Unranked

 
  Minnesota

not listed

 
           
           
           
 
Description
 
 

Dark-spotted palthis is a medium-sized litter moth. It occurs across the United States and southern Canada, and in Mexico. It is common in Minnesota. Adults are found from May through August in deciduous and mixed forests. Larvae feed on both living and dead leaves of deciduous and coniferous shrubs and trees, including alder, ash, basswood, birch, willow, pine, and spruce; and of forbs, including aster and goldenrod.

Adults are roughly triangular in shape, are 1116 (18 mm) in length, and have a ¾ to 1 (20 to 26 mm) wingspan.

The forewings are long and strongly angled on the outer margin, making the outer third distinctly longer than the inner third. They are light tan and are crossed with dark lines and bands. From the wing base to the tip there is an antemedial (AM) line, a median band, a postmedial (PM) line, a subterminal (ST) line, and a terminal line. The AM line is is narrow and jagged. The median band is broad, oblique, and usually dark brown, sometimes orangish-brown. It strongly curves up near the inner margin. It does not reach either the AM line or the leading (costal) margin. The PM and ST lines are jagged. The ST line is often incomplete and sometimes inconspicuous. The terminal line is thin. There is a kidney-shaped spot (reniform spot) above the PM line near the outer (costal) margin. The reniform spot is crescent-shaped, slanting, and dark brown. It is solid, sometimes with an orangish-brown center, but not interrupted with a white line. There is no round spot (orbicular spot) in the upper median area. At the wing tip (apex) on the costal margin there is a rusty-brown outer patch and a yellow inner patch.

On the male, the finger-like sensory organs (palps) attached to the mouth are very long, densely hairy, projected forward, and turned upward at the tip.

The caterpillar is mottled brown and small, up to ¾ (2 cm) in length. It is densely covered with minute white spines. There is a low hump on the first abdominal segment (A1) and an angled hump on A8. On A7 there is an oblique white line that continues up the hump on A8, sometimes changing to black on A8. There is a similar but less conspicuous line on A1, A2, and A3 that continue onto A2, A3, and A4 respectively. Mature caterpillars are found from June through fall.

 
     
 

Size

 
 

Total length: 1116 (18 mm)

Wingspan: ¾ to 1 (20 to 26 mm)

 
     
 

Similar Species

 
     
     
 
Habitat
 
 

Deciduous and mixed forests and woodlands

 
     
 
Biology
 
 

Season

 
 

Two generations per year: May through August

 
     
 

Behavior

 
 

 

 
     
 

Life Cycle

 
 

 

 
     
 

Larva Hosts

 
 

Living and dead leaves of deciduous and coniferous shrubs and trees, including alder, ash, basswood, birch, willow, pine, and spruce; and of forbs including aster and goldenrod.

 
     
 

Adult Food

 
 

 

 
     
 
Distribution
 
 

Distribution Map

 

Sources

4, 21, 24, 27, 29, 30, 71, 75, 82.

 
  12/23/2022      
         
 

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

Palthis  
       
 

The genus Palthis was formerly included in the family Arctiidae. A molecular phylogenetic study on the noctuid moths (Superfamily Noctuidea) published in 2005 clarified the relationships of the noctuid moths and resulted in a reshuffling of the families and subfamilies. The current classification places Palthis in the family Erebidae.

 
       
 

Synonyms

 
 

 

 
       
 

Common Names

 
 

dark-spotted palthis

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glossary

Antemedial (AM) line

A thin line separating the basal area and the median area of the forewing of Lepidoptera.

 

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.

 

Postmedial (PM) line

A thin line separating the median area and the postmedial area of the forewing of Lepidoptera.

 

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-spotted palthis   dark-spotted palthis  
           
    dark-spotted palthis   dark-spotted palthis  
           
 
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Other Videos
 
  Palthis angulalis
wetvideocamera
 
   
 
About

Jul 7, 2014

The Dark-spotted Palthis Moth. Seen high on a wall and videoed with a monopod. Burnaby, BC July 7, 2014

 

 

Camcorder

 
 
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  Alfredo Colon
8/10/2022

Location: Albany, NY

dark-spotted palthis

 
  Alfredo Colon
8/19/2019

Location: Woodbury, MN

dark-spotted palthis  
           
 
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Created: 12/16/2020

Last Updated:

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