Protorthodes oviduca (Guenée) Ruddy Quaker

Pogue, Michael G., 2010, The Hadeninae (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, USA 2380, Zootaxa 2380 (1), pp. 1-75 : 52

48. Protorthodes oviduca (Guenée) Ruddy Quaker

( Figs. 91–93 , Map 49)

Identification: Forewing length 11–14 mm. Male antenna is bipectinate and filiform in the female. Forewing ground color is ferruginous to ferruginous brown. Basal line white and curved from costa to A vein. Antemedial line is white and extends from costa around orbicular spot to posterior margin. Orbicular spot ground color to darker than ground color and margined by white. Reniform spot is ferruginous with gray scales to completely gray margined by white. Postmedial line is white and extends from costa around reniform spot to posterior margin. Subterminal line is white and extends from apex to tornus. Veins are highlighted black from postmedial line to outer margin. Terminal line is a series of minute, black triangular spots between veins. Hindwing is gray with a faint discal spot.

Flight period: Early May.

Collected localities: North Carolina : Haywood Co., Purchase Knob, Purchase Knob NW of house in forest. (2 specimens)

Elevation range: 4911–4924 ft. (1497–1501 m)

General distribution: This is a widespread species from Nova Scotia to British Columbia in Canada. In the U.S. from Maine south to Florida, in the southeast from Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi; across the Midwest from Ohio to North and South Dakota and Iowa ; in the west from Montana south to Arizona and west to California. In Ohio and Michigan this species is associated with sandy soils.

Larval hosts: Larvae seem to feed on low plants including common dandelion ( Taraxacum officinale F.H. Wigg. , Asteraceae ), clover ( Trifolium sp. , Fabaceae ), common plantain ( Plantago major L., Plantaginaceae ), mullein ( Verbascum sp. , Scrophulariaceae ) ( Godfrey 1972). Natural native hosts are unknown.

MAP 49. Collecting localities of Protorthodes oviduca .

Figures

FIGURES 89–96. Adults. 89, Orthodes goodelli, m, Maryland, Howard Co., Patuxent State Park, Hipsley’s Mill, 22 May 1981, D.C. Ferguson; 90, Orthodes goodelli, m, Canada, Ontario, Hymers, 8 June 1910; 91, Protorthodes oviduca, f, Canada, Ontario, Hymers, 13 June 1912; 92, Protorthodes oviduca, m, Canada, Nova Scotia, Anig. Co., Brierly Brook, 28 June 1954, D.C. Ferguson; 93, Protorthodes oviduca, m, Canada, Nova Scotia, Halifax Co., Halifax Watershed, near Big Indian Lake, 6 June, D.C. Ferguson; 94, Pseudorthodes vecors, f, Tennessee, Cocke Co., 1.2 mi from state route 32 on road to Cosby campground, 1910 ft., 28 July 2007, M. Pogue, D. Adamski, M. Metz, GSMNP 1022; 95, Pseudorthodes vecors, m, Tennessee, Cocke Co., Cosby, vic. ATBI house, 1750 ft., 22–25 June 2001; 96, Pseudorthodes vecors, f, Tennessee, Sevier Co., Jake’s Creek Trail, above campsite #27, 3600 ft., 23 July 2004, M.G. Pogue, USNMENT 00221814.