Choephora fungorum Grote and Robinson

Pogue, Michael G., 2006, The Noctuinae (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, U. S. A., Zootaxa 1215 (1), pp. 1-95 : 46-47

14. Choephora fungorum Grote and Robinson Bent­line Dart

( Fig. 50, Map 32)

Identification: Forewing length 18.0–23.0 mm. This is an easily recognized species with a tan forewing and dark patch between the nonexistent orbicular and reniform spots. Male antennae are bipectinate. Head and thorax have numerous long, very fine hair­like scales giving a bushy appearance. Antemedial and postmedial lines are thin, with postmedial being recurved in apical fourth, then straight to posterior margin. Hindwing is pinkish tan with a faint subterminal line that is ventral to the forewing postmedial line.

Flight period: Collected from mid­September to early November.

Collected localities: North Carolina: Haywood Co., Purchase house 1 mi SE off Purchase Road ; Swain Co. , Big Cove Road site b, Big Cove Road site c, Big Cove Road site p, Big Cove Road site w . Tennessee: Blount Co., Cades Cove Primitive Baptist Church, Tremont , Cocke Co. , Cosby Campground area , Cosby Ranger Station , Foothills Parkway ; Sevier Co. , Greenbrier Ranger Station , Park Headquarters. (27 specimens)

Elevation range: 1360–4630 ft. (415–1411 m)

General distribution: This species is distributed from southern Ontario, Pennsylvania, and southern Michigan south to the Gulf coast of northern Florida and west to central Kansas and eastern Texas ( Lafontaine 1998).

MAP 32. Collecting localities of Choephora fungorum .

Larval hosts: Crumb (1956) listed clover ( Trifolium sp. , Fabaceae ), tobacco (Nicotania sp., Solanaceae ), and various herbaceous weeds. Larvae have been reared on common dandelion ( Taraxacum officinale G. H. Weber ex Wiggers , Asteraceae ) in captivity ( Lafontaine 1998).