veiled ear moth

not listed

NNR - Unranked

SNR - Unranked

not listed

Veiled ear moth is a dark, relatively small moth. It occurs in the United States from Maine to Maryland, west to North Dakota and Kansas, and south along the Appalachian Mountains to northern Georgia. It also occurs in southern Canada from Nova Scotia to Alberta. It is not uncommon in Minnesota. The larvae feed on grasses. Adults are active in June and July.

Adults are 11⁄16″ to ¾″ (18 to 19 mm) in length and have a 13⁄16″ to 1⅜″ (30 to 35 mm) wingspan. Moth size is sometimes given in terms of forewing length, which for this moth is 9⁄16″ to ⅝″ (14 to 17 mm).

The forewing is grayish-brown with white peppering, especially along the veins. There is a dark reddish-brown patch in the median area and another at the wing tip at the inner corner (anal angle) extending to two-thirds of the way to the outer corner (apex). The circular spot (orbicular spot) in the upper median area is grayish-brown. The kidney-shaped spot (reniform spot) in the lower median area is mostly grayish-brown, with a darker brown spot in the inner half. It is strongly constricted in the middle, somewhat like a sideways hourglass. Both spots are crisply outlined by a thin white line. The outer margin of the forewing is distinctly scalloped.

The last part of each leg (tarsus), corresponding to the foot, has 5 segments. Tarsal segments 2 through 5 have four rows of spine-like hairs (setae) on the underside.

The caterpillar is grayish-green with a broad, white line on each side through the breathing pores (spiracles).

Total length: 11⁄16″ to ¾″ (18 to 19 mm)

Wingspan: 13⁄16″ to 1⅜″ (30 to 35 mm)

Two generations per year in the south, April to October. Probably one generation per year in Minnesota, June and July.

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

Partially grown larvae overwinter.

Grasses

Sources

4, 21, 24, 29, 30, 71, 75, 82, 83.

Not uncommon

This species was formerly placed in the genus Amphipoea. It was moved in 2009 to the genus Loscopia.

Location: Woodbury, MN