Ochropleura implecta Lafontaine, 1998

Pogue, Michael G., 2006, The Noctuinae (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, U. S. A., Zootaxa 1215 (1), pp. 1-95 : 33-34

1. Ochropleura implecta Lafontaine

( Fig. 30, Map 19)

Identification: Forewing length 13.0–15.0 mm. This is an easily recognized species with dark reddish­brown forewings and bright white hindwings. A broad pale band along the costa of the forewings extends from wing base to subterminal line. Orbicular and reniform spots are gray outlined in black with a black triangular patch proximal to the orbicular and a black rectangular patch between orbicular and reniform spots. A black basal dash is present below M vein. Postmedial line consists of a series of black dots on the wing veins and subterminal line is a series of irregular whitish spots between wing veins. Hindwings are shiny white with small black dashes along margin between veins.

Flight period: Collected from late April to September.

Collected localities: North Carolina: Haywood Co., Cataloochee, Cataloochee NW of Palmer Chapel, Purchase Knob , Purchase Knob at house, Purchase Knob E of house field, Purchase Knob NE of house field, Purchase Knob nr. 1 st gate, Purchase Knob on road in meadow; Swain Co. , Big Cove Road site b, Big Cove Road site p, Big Cove Road site w, 1 mi N Clingman’s Dome, 1.2 mi NE Clingman’s Dome parking lot Noland Divide Trail, 3.3 mi NE Clingman’s Dome parking lot Fork Ridge Trail, 5.6 mi SW of Jct. 441 & Clingman’s Dome Road Noland Divide Trail, Mt. Buckley , Upper Noland Divide Trail ca. Clingman’s Dome . Tennessee: Blount Co., Gregory Bald, Tremont; Cocke Co., Foothills Parkway East; Sevier Co. , 1.3 mi W of Jct. 441 & Clingman’s Dome Rd. Road Prong Trail (46 specimens)

MAP 19. Collecting localities of Ochropleura implecta .

Elevation range: 1360–6560 ft. (415–1999 m)

General distribution: This is a common species in the boreal and north temperate zones from Labrador, Canada, to southern Alaska. In the eastern United States it ranges from Maine to North and South Dakota , south to North Carolina and eastern Texas; in the West it has been collected in western Nebraska , central Colorado, northeastern New Mexico, southeastern Arizona, Washington, and Oregon ( Lafontaine 1998). The collections from GSMNP are new records for the state of Tennessee .

Larval hosts: Larval food plants include willow ( Salix sp. , Salicaceae ) and a variety of herbaceous plants including clover ( Trifolium sp. , Fabaceae ) and endive ( Cichorium sp. , Asteraceae ) ( Lafontaine 1998).