Scolecocampa liburna (Geyer, 1837) Dead-Wood Borer Moth

Pogue, Michael G., 2012, The Aventiinae, Boletobiinae, Eublemminae, Pangraptinae, Phytometrinae, and Scolecocampinae (Lepidoptera: Noctuoidea: Erebidae) of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, U. S. A., Zootaxa 3153, pp. 1-31 : 26-27

6. Scolecocampa liburna (Geyer, 1837) Dead-Wood Borer Moth

( Figs. 50–51 , Map 24)

Identification. Forewing length 15.3–18.1 mm. Scolecocampa liburna has a light-brown forewing with a distinct, black, oval reniform spot. Forewing has a small black spot at base; antemedial line faint, zig zag, made up of rufous scales and is usually absent or only a few rufous scales are evident; orbicular spot small and black; reniform spot is variable in its intensity it can be either solid black, black with a rufous center, or a black outline with a ground color center; postmedial line a slightly curved series of faint black spots; subterminal line a series of faint crescentshaped black spots that more or less parallels postmedial line; terminal area has a large black patch distal to reniform spot; terminal line a series of black spots between veins; fringe ground color with black spots between black spots of terminal line. Hind wing is dark gray with terminal line a series of black spots between veins; fringe light brown. Labial palpus is porrect, black with some white scales dorsally and a light brown apex, and approximately 5 X eye width.

Flight period. June to August, probably multiple brooded.

Collected localities. North Carolina: Haywood Co.: Big Creek, 0.4 mi from entrance; Cataloochee, service rd. off Cataloochee rd. Swain Co.: Big Cove Rd., site b, site p; Deep Creek Ranger Station; Forney Creek, 0.4 km up trail from Lake Fontana; Hazel Creek, below Bradshaw Cemetery; 0.2 km W mouth of Hazel Creek; 0.5 km from mouth of Chambers Creek, 300 ft. up hillside on SW side; 0.7 km up creek from mouth of Goldmine Creek; 0.7 km S Payne Cemetery; 300 ft. above Lake Fontana on Welch Ridge; Wiggins-Watson Cemetery. Tennessee: Blount Co.: Ace Gap Trailhead; Cades Cove Ranger Station; Cades Cove Campground; nr. gate to Cades Cove Loop; Scott Mountain Trail, Campsite 6, head of spring; Campsite 6 along Scott Mountain Trail; Tremont; Cocke Co.: 0.6 mi from Jct. of Rt. 32 on road to Cosby Campground; 1.2 mi from state route 32 on road to Cosby campground; Cosby Campground; Cosby Campground area; 0.25 mi inside entrance to Cosby; Cosby Ranger Station; Cosby picnic area, off Gabes Mountain Trail; Foothills Parkway; Foothills Parkway, 3rd overlook from Cosby; Foothills Parkway, pull-off between 2nd & 3rd, up trail to right; Foothills Parkway, 2nd pullout; Foothills Parkway East; Foothills Parkway, 1st overlook; Maddron Bald Trail; Sevier Co., Laurel Falls Trail; Campsite 20, nr. creek on Meigs Mountain Trail; W of Campsite 20; Greenbrier area, end of Ramsey Cascade Road, uphill from parking lot; Greenbrier area, Old Settlers Trail, off Ramsey Cascade Road; Greenbrier covered picnic area, 3.5 mi S Rt. 321; Greenbrier picnic shelter; Jake’s Creek Trail, nr. Campsite 27; Jake’s Creek Trail, above Campsite 27; Jake’s Creek Trail; Park Headquaters; return on Greenbrier Loop Road, 3.85 mi S Rt. 321. (87 specimens)

Elevation range. 1350–3640 ft. (411–1109 m)

General distribution. Distributed from New York south to Florida and west to Michigan, south to Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana, and east Texas.

Larval hosts. Larva bores into decaying logs and stumps of chestnut ( Castanea sp., Fagaceae ), oak ( Quercus sp., Fagaceae ), and hickory ( Carya sp., Juglandaceae ) ( Covell 1984). Larvae have been found under bark of trees especially tulip poplar ( Liriodendron tulipifera L., Magnoliaceae ) ( Rings et al. 1992).

MAP 24. Collecting localities of Scolecocampa liburna .

Figures

FIGURES 33 – 55. Adults. 33, Hyperstrotia secta, m, North Carolina, Jackson Co.: Balsam, 24 June 1974, D. C. Ferguson; 34, Hyperstrotia secta, f, Maryland, Prince Georges Co.: Beltsville, 26 May, 1986, D. C. Ferguson; 35, Hyperstrotia villificans, m, North Carolina, Swain Co.: Hazel Creek, Bradshaw Cemetery, GSMNP, 2040 ft., 23 July 2007, M. Pogue, D. Adamski, M. Metz, GSMNP 0047; 36, Hyperstrotia villificans, f, North Carolina, Swain Co.: Hazel Creek, Bradshaw Cemetery, GSMNP, 2040 ft., 23 July 2007, M. Pogue, D. Adamski, M. Metz, GSMNP 0046; 37, Hyperstrotia villificans, f, Maryland, Montgomery Co.: Colesville, 8 Aug. 1980, D. C. Ferguson; 38, Abablemma brimleyana, m, Florida, Putnam Co., University Reserve, Welaka, 5 Apr. 1972, D. C. Ferguson; 39, Abablemma brimleyana, f, South Carolina, Charleston Co., Wedge Plantation, McClellanville, 3 June 1978, D. C. Ferguson; 40, Arugisa lutea, m, Florida, Monroe Co., Big Pine Key, 26 Nov. 1976, D. C. Ferguson; 41, Arugisa lutea, m, Maryland, Dorchester Co., Decoursey Bridge Rd., 13 Aug. 1993, J. Glaser; 42, Gabara subnivosella, m, Tennessee, Blount Co., Ace Gap Trailhead, 24 July 2000, M. G. Pogue; 43, Gabara subnivosella, m, Kansas, Johnson Co., Shawnee Mission Park, 17 June 1962, J. R. Heitzman; 44, Gabara subnivosella, m, Massachusetts, Nantucket Co., Nantucket, 12 July, 1928; 45, Gabara subnivosella, m, Massachusetts, Dukes Co., Martha’s Vineyard, 23 July, F. M. Jones; 46, Isogona tenuis, m, Tennessee, Blount Co., Campsite 6, along Scott Mtn. Trail, 3324 ft., 5 Aug. 2003, M. G. Pogue, USNM 00219096; 47, Isogona tenuis, f, Texas, Hidalgo Co., Santa Ann Refuge, 9 Mar. 1977, A. & M. E. Blanchard; 48, Isogona tenuis, f, Texas, Nickel Creek, Guadalupe Mts., 5000 ft., 22 May 1973, A. & M. E. Blanchard; 49, Nigetia formosalis, m, North Carolina, Haywood Co., Cataloochee, downhill from pull-off, 3440 ft., 19 July 2007, M. Pogue, D. Adamski, M. Metz; 50, Scolecocampa liburna, m, Tennessee, Sevier Co., Greenbrier area, end of Ramsey Cascade Rd., uphill from parking lot, 2066 ft., 26 June 2004, M. G. Pogue, USNM 00221326; 51, Scolecocampa liburna, m, Tennessee, Sevier Co., Greenbrier area, end of Ramsey Cascade Rd., uphill from parking lot, 2066 ft., 26 June 2004, M. G. Pogue, USNM 00221327; 52, Sigela brauneata, m, Tennessee, Cocke Co., 0.6 mi from Jct. of Rt. 32 on road to Cosby campground, 1765 ft., GSMNP, 28 July 2007, M. Pogue, D. Adamski, M. Metz, GSMNP 1907; 53 Sigela penumbrata, m, Texas, Nueces Co., N. Padre Island, 21 June 1977, A. & M. E. Blanchard; 54, Sigela penumbrata, m, Florida, Monroe Co., Big Pine Key, 26 Nov. 1976, D. C. Ferguson; 55, Sigela penumbrata, f, Florida, Dade Co., Homestead, 26 Nov. 1976, D. C. Ferguson.