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Volume 28, Number 1
NOTES ON THE BIOLOGY AND DISTRIBUTION OF THE CUCULLIINAE (NOCTUIDAE)
Dale Schweitzer
Department of Zoology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01002
This paper summarizes eight years of observing, rearing and collecting Cuculliinae by the author, primarily in southeastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey. These areas combined will be referred to as the Delaware Valley region. In addition, records from other collections are included. In all such cases, I have verified the determinations. A few records from the literature are also cited. However, the records in Tietz (1952) are generally ignored since these can not be readily checked, many are known errors, and many more are extremely dubious. A few of his most interesting records are mentioned.
Genera for which new information can be provided are discussed in full. Records from the southern United States are presented due to the scarcity of records from that region. Taxonomy follows Franclemont (in Forbes, 1954). Foodplant records are from that source and the Canadian Department of Forestry (1982, here cited as CDF), and many are included which were previously unpublished.
Major Regional Collecting Areas
PENNSYLVANIA
Auburn, Schuylkill County is a mixed hardwood area dominated by various oaks (Quercus spp.) with red maple (Acer rubrum), black birch (Betula lenta) and hickories (Carya spp.) as common associates. Hemlock (Tsuja canadensis) and Virginia pine (Pinus virginiana) are common and scattered pitch and white pines (P. rigida and P. strobus) occur. The elevation is approximately 850 ft. All records here are from Eric L. Quinter.
French Creek State Park, Berks and Chester Cos., includes a variety of habitats such as dry ridges up to 900 ft. which are forested by oak sprouts of moderate to small size with an understory of blueberry (Vaccinium vacillans) and huckleberry (Gaylusaccia baccata) as well as wooded swamps dominated by mature red maples along with ash (Fraxinus sp.), elm (Ulmus sp.), with pin oak (Quercus palustris) and tulip tree (Leriodendron tulipifera) as common associates, and spicebush (hindera benzoin), Viburnum spp. and highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) forming the shrub layer. More mesic areas are forested with oaks, hickories, tulip tree and red maple with black birch and aspen (Populus grandidentata) also present. This area was collected with black light traps and bait traps, the latter in all habitats, by the author.
Strafford, Chester Co., is a residential area with some patches of native woods. These are of two types: nearly pure stands of moderate to very large tulip trees, and stands of mixed oaks. In addition wild and planted fruit trees are present. The elevation is about 600 ft. I collected this site almost daily for over seven years, using both light and bait.
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Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society
Blue Mountain Bog, Schuylkill Co. is at 1600 ft. on a ridge covered largely by oaks. Around the bog itself trees include larch (Larix laricina) and paper birch (Betula papyrifera), neither of which grows generally in the region. Pitch pine and scrub oak (Quercus ilicifolia) occur in the immediate vicinity. Shrubs and sub-shrubs include cranberry and several species of blueberries (Vaccinium spp.). Eric Quinter has been the sole collector at this site, using mostly black light.
NEW JERSEY
Lebanon, Hunterdon Co., is very similar in flora and moth fauna to French Creek (above). Joseph Muller has collected here extensively for about twenty years. This is referred to as Stanton by Muller (1965).
The Pine Barrens, a unique faunal and floral region, covers much of Burlington Co., practically all of Ocean Co. and southward, except along the Delaware River and immediate coast, into Cape May County. The dry sandy "uplands" are forested almost exclusively with various mixtures of oaks and pines with an Ercicaceous understory. The exact composition is determined largely by frequent and often extensive forest fires that sweep through these areas, usually in April. The oaks are chiefly Quercus ilicifolia, marilandica, stellata, velutina and coccinea but others occur. The pines are almost exclusively shortleaf (P. echinata) and pitch (P. rigida) with stands of P. virginiana on the western fringe of the region and P. serotina and taeda on the southern fringe. Throughout the region are many swamps. Some are nearly pure stands of Chamaecyparis thyoides, known locally as cedar swamps. Others are mixtures of red maple, sour gum (Nyssa sylvatica) and Magnolia virginiana. In addition "pitch pine lowlands" composed of pitch pine and various combinations of swamp species are abundant. In all lowlands the understory is primarily Ericaceous. Bogs and boggy meadows are very widespread. Collectors interested in exploring this region should consult McCormick (1970) for more details on the flora. The diversity of the area as well as its combination of characteristically boreal and southern plants and moths makes it one of the truly outstanding collecting areas in the eastern states.
Collecting in the Pine Barrens has been concentrated at Lakehurst where Frederick Lemmer, Otto Bucholz, John W. Cadbury III, and Joseph Muller have collected extensively. Excessive fires and cutting, and to some extent development, have greatly depleted the Lakehurst area, especially the swamps. Formerly all Pine Barren habitats were present and well collected. Other collecting sites in the Barrens have been at New Lisbon in a mixed swamp where Cadbury and I have collected, and a similar area at Whitesbog where Cadbury collected. I presently collect rather extensively around Batsto in a variety of habitats. The fact that all of these collectors have made extensive use of bait has resulted in the accumulation of a vast number of specimens of Cuculliinae.
The Atlantic coastal plain outside of the Pine Barrens in New Jersey has been virtually uncollected for moths. Cadbury did collect at street lights in Moorestown and Mt. Holly, but took few Cuculiinae, as would be expected with this method.
Tribe Lithophanini
Members of this tribe fly during the cooler seasons only, aestivating as larvae in the soil during the summer. In the Delaware Valley region, most of the species seem to emerge in late October or November, although in 1971 they did not appear in numbers until well into December. October had been very warm. However, Metaxaglaea viatica adults emerging in early October 1972 remained lethargic until early November
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when mating occurred. There is strong circumstantial evidence that other species may be present but inactive in October. Most of the species overwinter as adults, at least sometimes in the fallen leaves on the ground. In these species development of the eggs within the females is not evident upon dissection until at least the end of January. Mating occurs from late January to mid-March in Eupsilia spp., by mid-March in Lithophane grotei, but apparently usually not until well into April in Lithophane hemina, patefacta, querquera, and viridipallens. The fact that egg development occurs in at least some species during midwinter seems to indicate that no true diapause occurs. In addition large numbers of Eupsilia spp. can be taken at bait on almost any warm winter night, when the temperature is above 42°F. Lithophane spp. are also taken on such nights, but not in large numbers. Rainy nights are generally far more productive than clear ones when the temperature is lower than 50°F.
Even when nights are too cold for flight, the moths are not completely inactive. Caged Eupsilia and Lithophane will crawl out of their shelters to take water on rainy afternoons, and also will crawl about probing with their proboscis on sunny winter days. In either case the temperature is often under 40° F. On cold nights the moths may crawl about in search of better shelters, which are located at least in part by probing with the antennae. This has been observed repeatedly at subfreezing temperatures for a variety of species: Lithophane viridipallens, antennata, unimoda, grotei, and patefacta; Eupsilia vinulenta, sidus, morrisoni; Epiglaea decliva. The minimum temperature for activity seems to be 28°F.
Suitable shelters are essential for winter survival. The moths always rest with the abdomen pressed against some surface and the wings closed tightly over it. The thorax is not covered, but is densely hairy. The head is tucked up tight against the thorax and the antennae are folded under the wings. One night, three Eupsilia vinulenta were dislodged in a cage and fell onto their backs. The temperature was about 28°F. By morning, two were dead, but the other had righted itself and crawled under a leaf. About a dozen others in the box, under leaves or on the sides, survived the night which fell to at least 21 °F. For prolonged survival the moths crawl deep into leaf litter in cages. Almost invariably they crawl into a folded over leaf. Probably water retention, rather than direct temperature effects, necessitate the use of shelters. Refrigerated moths will survive several months in tightly closed containers, but only a few days in well ventilated ones, in frost-free refrigerators. Similar observations have been made outdoors in cold
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Journal of the LEPIDOPTERISTS, Society
spells. In fact, it is quite possible that lack of protective snow cover in the southern states may be a limiting factor for these moths. Certainly, they are essentially a northern group.
Little is actually known of the resting habits of these moths in the field. I have seen Eupsilia and Sunira hicolorago fly up from leaf litter on several occasions. However, T. D. Sargent (pers. comm.) has taken Eupsilia vinulenta at light in Massachusetts on nights when the ground was completely snow-covered. Presumably these moths had been under loose bark, or in hollow trees. The brown Lithophane look as if they might hide under loose bark, although caged individuals crawl under leaves. Certainly, Lithophane lemmeri looks like a perfect match for the bark of its larval host, white cedar. In addition, cedar swamps almost always flood in the winter. It seems that this species must overwinter in the shreds of bark that are typical of old cedars. Lithophane thaxteri and lepida also resemble the bark of some conifers, notably pitch and shortleaf pine. L. pexata also resembles bark in general. All three of these species characteristically rest on the sides of bait traps, head up. Other Cuculliinae rest in the dead leaves provided at the bottom of such traps.
In those species that do not hibernate as adults, the egg is the overwintering stage. These are laid in the autumn or early winter, well into December, in Metaxaglaea viatica and Epiglaea decliva.
Larvae of this tribe hatch in the spring from late March into early May depending on the species. Most of them can survive for well over a week without food, provided humidity is high, at room temperatures. This ability would minimize losses from early emergences. Most or all of the species will accept catkins and these are apparently the normal initial food source for Sunira hicolorago and Anathix spp. (Forbes, 1954). I am aware of only one species, an undescribed Metaxaglaea, which is an obligatory catkin feeder. I find that Sunira larvae will eat any part, including the wood, of practically any plant. Unlike most of the species however, Sunira larvae are not predatory. In general, most species probably start feeding on newly opened leaf buds. As the larvae mature they feed on the leaves and flowers and, in some Lithophane at least, on fruits as well. In my experience Lithophane larvae are extremely predatory in captivity. It seems likely that they eat other caterpillars in natural conditions as well. This would certainly be an adaptive habit when competition with other species is acute as sometimes happens during canker worm (Geometridae) outbreaks. Cannibalism might also be adaptive as a means of population control. Lithophane larvae will also eat dead larvae and frass in captivity.
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In general the moths are most often taken at a variety of baits. I usually use a mixture of rotten apples, crushed bananas, brown sugar, and molasses. This mixture is allowed to ferment for at least three days before use. Beer may be added if fermentation is inadequate. These baits last about one month, longer if they are refrigerated when not in use. Naturally rotted apples and quinces also make excellent bait. Baits may be smeared on tree trunks or placed in dishes. Apparently they must be at least four feet above the ground. Joseph Muller and I have also had success with bait traps. Ours are similar in basic design to that described by Piatt (1969) except that they are made of metal with pie pans as lids. Great care must be taken to assure that the lids fit snugly. These traps are hung from tree limbs. I check mine once a week or less.
Another excellent method of collecting these and other noctuids is to net them from pussy willow blossoms just after dusk. The moths may also be obtained by shaking the tree as they will usually fall to the ground rather than take flight. I have taken six species of Lithophane and three of Eupsilia at pussy willow at Strafford. This total includes all except the rarest members of the tribe that fly at that site in the spring. Other blossoms might prove effective as well. Holland (1903) notes that "Scopelosoma" (i.e. Eupsilia and Pyreferra) come to maple sap buckets.
In general, lights tend to yield poor returns. However, the setup used by Sargent at Leverett, Massachusetts is quite effective. This consists of a Robinson Trap, a 15-watt black light, and four 150-watt floodlights. On 16 March 1973, Sargent and I were able to compare his lights with ten baited trees. Twenty-two species were taken. A total of 212 specimens of 21 species was taken at the bait, while 69 specimens of 14 species were taken at light. During the course of the spring, bait proved most effective for all members of the tribe except Homoglaea hircina which appeared only at light. In general the proportion of specimens at light seems to increase sharply in mid-April in both Pennsylvania and Massachusetts.
The effects of weather on the activity of these moths are only partially understood. Observations on captive individuals suggest 47°F as the minimum temperature at which Lithophane patefacta will take flight. Similarly, the minimum for Eupsilia spp. was found to be 42°F. However, clear cold nights following warm, sunny, spring days will often produce substantial catches even with temperatures at dusk as low as 36°F. Apparently the hairiness of the moths enables them to retain body heat, even with rapidly falling temperatures. Such captures are almost always
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Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society
within one hour of dusk and usually at light. Certainly, any night with the temperature at dusk above 50°F is likely to be productive.
Xylena Ochsenheimer
The larvae of this genus are brownish, climbing cutworms in the last instar; green with white markings in the earlier instars, resting then in the foliage. They appear to be very general feeders.
X. nupera (Hiibner) has been taken at Lakehurst by Muller and Cadbury, and once at Batsto by myself. Dates span from 16 September to 30 April. It is clearly very rare in the region. Tietz (1952) records it from Delaware and Berks Cos., possibly correctly.
X. curvimacula (Morrison) is quite general in the region. It is common only in Schuylkill Co. where Quinter finds it at several sites. It is very scarce in the Pine Barrens and not taken at Batsto. The moth flies from late October to late April, most captures are in April.
X. cineritia (Grote) was taken by Lemmer a few times at Lakehurst in the 1930's and 1940's. Quinter has taken it in substantial numbers at Blue Mountain Bog, Auburn, and nearby New Ringold. Tietz reports it from Reading, Pennsylvania. The species is not known from south of this region. Records are from October to April.
Lithophane Hiibner
This genus is somewhat heterogeneous. The first group, through oriunda, is distinctive in adult maculation and genitalia. The larvae are brown or gray in the last instar with a mottled pattern as described by Franclemont (in Forbes, 1954). The earlier instars are green with the ordinary lines and tubercles contrastingly white. The green instar larvae rest by day on the foliage of the host tree. The last instar of at least bethunei is a climbing cutworm, resting by day in bark crevices and among debris at the base of the tree. One last instar hemina larva has been found on a twig of boxelder.
The generic name Grapolitha (Hiibner) was based on L. socia, a European member of this group (Franclemont, 1942). The adults of most of these species are dimorphic (Franclemont, 1942; Forbes, 1954). Adults of this group are very rarely taken in January and February in this region.
L. semiusta (Grote) is extremely rare in the region. Lemmer took one at Lakehurst dated 1 to 10 May (specimen in the American Museum), and Muller has taken one at Stanton, 18 October 1953. Lemmer did not include years on his labels. Tietz (1952) states that the United States National Museum has one from White Mills, Wayne Co., Penn-
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sylvania dated in August. The species is northern and Lakehurst is the most southern capture. It ranges west at least to Wausau, Marathon Co., Wisconsin (Jim Parkinson, in Schweitzer collection). The larva occurs on basswood and accepts choke cherry (Forbes, 1954; CDF).
L. bethunei (Grote and Robinson) is fairly general in the region except for Schuylkill Co. where Quinter has not taken it. Otherwise it is usually common outside of the Pine Barrens, where however, it is present. Larva, on many trees (Forbes, 1954; CDF). I have reared them on oak, Prunus spp. and apple, and have found two larvae on trunks of black oak trees in bark crevices at Springfield, Delaware Co., Pennsylvania. It flies from October through April, but is taken much more often in spring. Only the typical form has been taken locally.
L. innominata (Smith) was taken at Lakehurst by Buchholz (American Museum) from October to April, and at Auburn, 28 April 1972. Otherwise the only regional record is the Wayne Co., Pennsylvania specimen noted by Tietz (1952) as being in the United States National Museum. There are no records from south of this region. Only the normal form illecebra (Franclemont) has been found in the area.
L. pate fact a (Walker) has been taken by all collectors at all Pine Barren sites. It is very common some years, very rare others. It does not occur, so far as known, anywhere else south of the vicinity of Ithaca, New York. Tietz's record (1952) for western Pennsylvania is probably an error, and Muller's record (1965) from Stanton is known to be so.
I have reared it on Prunus spp. and commercial blueberry leaves. It eats the leaves, flowers and fruit of the former. The typical and niveocosta (Franclemont) forms are of nearly equal abundance. Mating takes place in late March and early April.
L. hemina (Grote) is apparently general in the region, but is quite rare in the Pine Barrens where it has been taken only at Lakehurst by Cadbury and Lemmer. It is common at Lebanon, Auburn, and French Creek, where it seems to have no habitat preference. It is not common at Strafford. Other area records are Valley Forge Park, Pennsylvania, and Moorestown, New Jersey. It flies from mid-October to as late as 30 April. I have attempted four times to obtain ova from females baited in early April, but all laid only sterile eggs. I have also found a larva on a boxelder (Acer negundo) twig at Wissahickon Ravine, Philadelphia,
II June 1973. The only known records south of this region are a specimen taken by Quinter at black light at Ice Mountain, Hampshire Co., West Virginia, 24 April 1971; and an apparent specimen from C. V. Covell taken at Valley Station, Kentucky, near Louisville, November 1972 by Siegfried Schloss. Twenty out of 32 regional specimens in the author's
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collection are the variety lignicosta (Franclemont). It feeds on many trees in captivity.
L. petulca (Grote) ranges as far south as this region. It is probably common at Auburn since a small series has been accumulated solely at light. I took it once at French Creek (genitalia checked). Muller gets it at Lebanon. The American Museum has eight specimens under this name from Lakehurst, but some are almost certainly L. signosa. At least two are correct, however. Both forms occur in the region. Usually, there is some violet shading at least along the costa of the primaries. The larva feeds on many trees (CDF).
L. signosa (Walker) is not common, but is found at Strafford, French Creek, Lebanon, Batsto, Moorestown, Lakehurst, and Whitesbog. I also took one in a crevice on the trunk of a ginko tree at Overbrook, Philadelphia Co., Pennsylvania, 18 November 1968. The larva and food are unknown, but the species is apparently a restricted feeder (Forbes, 1954). This is apparently the most southern species of this group. Its known range is from Bristol, Rhode Island and Randolph, Vermont (Franclemont, 1942) to Arlington, Virginia (Forbes, 1954) and Clinton, Hinds Co., Mississippi (Bryant Mather, 10 March 1960; determined and genitalia checked by the author, form pallidicosta Franclemont), and Lafayette, Indiana (Franclemont, 1942). The lack of records from Canada is noteworthy. Nine of my seventeen regional specimens are the form pallidicosta. One of these has the suffused area reddish brown instead of the usual blackish, as does the Mississippi specimen. Dates range from 11 October (Strafford) to 4 May (Moorestown, 1941).
L. disposita (Morrison) is extremely rare in the region. It has been taken at Lakehurst, 20 April 1952 (Muller) and 18 October 1946 (Cad-bury); Wayne, Delaware Co., Pennsylvania, 16 March 1965 (Schweitzer, on store front); Auburn, 24 September 1972; and Philadelphia, 19 November 1902 (Quinter coll.). Tietz reports it from White Mills, Wayne Co., in August, based on a specimen in the United States National Museum.
L. oriunda (Walker) has been taken twice at Scranton (AMNH).
The larvae of the following species (second group) are green in all instars so far as known and remain in the foliage by day. The adults are generally shades of grey and are usually monomorphic. The adults are fairly frequent in mid-winter. Mating seasons are variable between species. Some of the larvae are restricted feeders. The name Lithophane was based on a species related to our pexata.
L. lamda (Fabricius) race thaxteri (Grote) is reported in eastern Pennsylvania at White Mills and Reading by Tietz (1952). This species
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would be hard to misidentify. I cannot verify its presence in that state. It is, however, common some years in the Pine Barrens where it has been take at Lakehurst (Cadbury, Lemmer) and Batsto. The local foodplant is unknown. The host reported by Forbes (1954), Ceanothus, is not present in the Barrens. Myrica is listed for the typical, European, race and Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga) for the Pacific Northwest population. Brower has one from Maine (ex larva) on Myrica gale but throughout much of Canada the principal host is larch (CDF). Thus our population might be expected to feed on Myrica pennsylvanica or pine or white cedar. It is possible that several species are involved. It seems certain that this is not a general feeder. It flies October to April.
L. pexata (Grote) is not common in the region, but has been taken at Lebanon, Lakehurst, Weekstown (Atlantic Co., Pine Barrens), French Creek and in Schuylkill Co. at Auburn, New Ringold and Blue Mountain Bog from October to April. The principal host seems to be alder, but birch has also been reported (CDF). Quinter finds only the alder to be acceptable.
L. fagina (Morrison) is a northern species that extends south into the Pine Barrens where it is usually rare. It has been taken at Batsto, New Lisbon, and Lakehurst. Area dates are from 21 September (Cadbury) to mid-April. In Massachusets, the species seems to mate rather late in the spring. The larva has been collected in Canada on birch twenty three times and once on pin cherry (CDF). Presumably, the food in the Pine Barrens is Betula populifolia. The young larva is similar to L. tepida.
L. tepida (Grote) is very rare in this region, having been taken at Lebanon, 23 November (Muller); and a few times at Auburn by Quinter. It has been reported from White Mills in August (Tietz, 1952). I have reared the larva (from Massachusetts), and birch and aspens seem to be the preferred hosts. It is very predatory, and will run down other larvae. The last instar is a somewhat yellowish green with slightly broken yellow ordinary lines and tubercles. It has been found on birch, willow, and gooseberry in Canada (CDF).
L. baileyi (Grote) is reported by Tietz (1952) from White Mills, in August, and has been taken at Lakehurst, 16 October 1946 (Cadbury). The larva has been reported on pine, birch and cottonwood (CDF).
L. querquera (Grote) is very rare in the Pine Barrens, having been taken only at Lakehurst by Lemmer and once at Batsto, but is less rare elsewhere. Records are for Lebanon (common), Auburn and French Creek. It may prefer red maple swamps. This species ranges south to
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Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society
Clinton, Hinds Co., Mississippi where Mather has taken it once, 20 January 1969. I have seen the specimen. In the Delaware Valley region, both forms occur at all localities. The larva of this species is unique. It is uniform dark leaf green. The ordinary lines and tubercles are not visible except for a contrasting but poorly defined yellow spiracular line. There is a bright yellow transverse line at the posterior of each segment except on the anal hump. The anal hump and prolegs are contrastingly white. The ground color becomes gray in the last instar. It seems very unlikely that this is a cryptic species. It will accept a variety of hardwoods, but the newly hatched larvae seem to prefer paper birch and seem to dislike black oak. The larvae are extremely predacious and will also eat human epidermis when handled.
L. viridipallens (Grote) is usually not rare in pitch pine lowland habitats in the Pine Barrens where it has been taken at all localities collected, although it has not been taken at Lakehurst in over twenty years. Most records are from November to April, but there are a few in October. All specimens seen by me have been from along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts from Hampton, New Hampshire (Shaw, in Brower coll.) to Carteret Co., North Carolina (J. B. Sullivan) and McClellanville, South Carolina (R. B. Dominick) and Lauderdale Co., Mississippi (Mather). Tietz's reports (1952) from western Pennsylvania are extremely dubious. Nothing is known of the life history except that mating apparently does not take place until well into April in the Pine Barrens.
L. lemmeri (Barnes and McDunnough) occurs in the Pine Barrens where Cadbury and Lemmer found it abundant some years at Lakehurst, as late as the 1940's. More recently, Muller has not found the species and I have taken but one at Batsto, 12 April 1970. Dates are from October to 12 May. The food is white cedar according to Muller (1965). This information is from Lemmer who presumably reared it. Franclemont (1969) suggests that the food may be red cedar, but the distribution and habitat of the moth make this seem very unlikely. Other records are Ivoryton, Connecticut (Forbes, 1954) and McClellanville, South Carolina (Dominick). The South Carolina specimens seemed atypical, but I did not have other material available for comparison.
L. lepida (Lintner) is a northern species ranging into upper New York State in its typical form. The race adipel (Benjamin) occurs only in the New Jersey Pine Barrens and was sometimes taken abundantly by Cadbury and Lemmer at Lakehurst, and was common in December 1972 at Batsto, but very rare other seasons. I have found it only in pitch pine lowland habitats, despite more extensive baiting in drier sites. The type race feeds on pines (Forbes, 1954; CDF).
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L. antennata (Walker) is completely general in this region and always common, especially at French Creek. It is often numerous as early as late September and occasionally flies into early May. The larva feeds on most hardwoods, eating fruits and galls as well as leaves (Holland, 1903; Forbes, 1954). I have seen specimens from Hinds Co., Mississippi (Mather) and have a series from Pine Mt., Kentucky, 22 October 1970 (Cornett, received from Covell).
L. grotei (Riley) is another common, generally distributed species in the Delaware Valley region. It appears later and disappears earlier than antennata, most records ranging between November and March. I have reared it from eggs found on Prunus serotina at Strafford, and Brower informs me that it sometimes causes substantial defoliation of soft maples in Maine. The early mating and oviposition suggest that the larvae may begin to feed on catkins in some cases.
L. laticinerea (Grote) is surprisingly rare in this region and most specimens seen labelled this are grotei. It is known from Lakehurst, Batsto (one, November 1968; and a larva on Quercus velutina, 25 May 1969), Strafford (1 November and 19 December 1967, 22 January 1973 and probably 8 April 1970), and Auburn, where it is also quite rare. The species ranges south to Clemson, South Carolina (22 February 1939, E. C. Sturgis, in Schweitzer coll.). Dominick has a specimen from McClellanville, South Carolina which superficially resembles this species, taken 16 February 1970. This species closely resembles antennata but averages larger, and slightly darker and duller. However, at least in the Delaware Valley area it is best to check the male genitalia with the figure in Forbes (1954). The presence of a basal dash on the primaries will distinguish this species from grotei which is also much darker and more mottled.
L. unimoda (Lintner) is completely general in this region and is usually common except perhaps in Schuylkill Co., where, however, more collecting at bait might turn up larger numbers. It seems to be common in almost any habitat. Franclemont (in Forbes, 1954) reports that the larva feeds by preference on black cherry, but the moth is clearly not associated with this plant in this area.
Eupsilia Hiibner
The moths of this genus make up the majority of mid-winter moth catches in this area. They fly from late September (very rarely) into late April. Eggs develop in January and matings occur from the end of that month into March. The moths are sometimes difficult to identify but the following generalizations seem safe. E. vinulenta (Grote) and
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Journal of the LEPIDOPTERISTs, Society
E. sidus (Guenee) are general and common in the region and fluctuate in numbers from year to year. E. morrisoni (Grote) is usually rare in the Pine Barrens, but common elsewhere. E. tristigmata (Grote) is common in the Pine Barrens and general, but rare, in the rest of the region. E. cirripalea (Franclemont) may be common in the Pine Barrens, but is definitely rare elsewhere, though taken at Strafford and the Nottingham (Chester Co.) pine barren area. E. devia (Grote) is rare throughout the region, except at Lebanon. It is unknown from Schuylkill Co. so far. The larvae of all the species are described by Forbes (1954). I have reared the larvae of most of the species on various trees and shrubs. They will eat dandelion as well. The young larvae make a crude silk nest between two leaves. They are solitary. The mature larvae hide in debris at the base of trees and probably in bark crevices as well.
Pyreferra Franclemont
P. hesperidago (Guenee) has been taken at Lebanon, Auburn, Strafford and Valley Forge Park which are within the range of the foodplant, Hamamelis, reported by Forbes (1954). However, this plant does not grow in the Pine Barrens although the moth has been taken a number of times by Cadbury at Lakehurst. Possibly, sweet gum, Liquidambar styraciflua, which is in the Hamamelidaceae is the foodplant there.
P. citromba (Franclemont) has been taken at the same places as the last species. Likewise, its reported foodplant, Corylus, does not grow in the Pine Barrens. Birch, Betula populifolia, seems to be the most likely host there. Corylus is also quite uncommon in the Delaware Valley region as a whole.
P. pettiti (Grote) has been taken once by Muller at Lebanon. Since it feeds on Betula lenta and B. lutea according to Forbes (1954), its rarity in this region is remarkable.
P. ceromatica (Grote) has not been taken in this region so far as I am aware.
All of the species apparently fly from October through April. They have not been taken in mid-winter.
Homoglaea Morrison
H. hircina (Morrison) is somewhat surprisingly established this far south. Muller has a series from Lebanon; Quinter has several from Auburn; and I have one from Strafford. It flies from October to April. The larvae web together aspen leaves upon which they feed (Forbes, 1954).
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Sericaglaea Franclemont
S. signata (French) is fairly common in the Pine Barrens, having been taken at all the usual locations, including a swamp near Weekstown and also at a site east of Berlin (Quinter). Otherwise, the only area records are singles from Strafford, and French Creek. Dates run mid-October into April, except the Berlin specimen which is 2 May 1970. I have examined the Florida specimens in the American Museum and am fairly sure they are variants of C. tremula. However, the species appears to be widespread in the south. Bryant Mather takes it commonly in Hinds Co., Mississippi, and Dominick has a series from McClellanville on the coast of South Carolina. Ric Peigler has taken it at Greenville on the Piedmont of that state. The Clemson University Entomology Department has one from Florence, also on the coast. In the south dates are December to March.
The genus Metaxaglaea (Franclemont) will be treated in a later paper which will include a description of a new species from the Pine Barrens and south.
Epiglaea Grote
E. decliva (Grote) is completely general in this region. It is usually not uncommon, but the only record of it occurring in abundance is at the pine barren area near Nottingham, Pennsylvania, 16 October 1971, when each of about 35 baited trees had several individuals each time they were checked. Since this is the earliest regional date, it is likely that the species had not yet reached peak abundance. The latest record is for seven specimens at Strafford, 31 December 1972. The females in this lot produced largely sterile eggs but each produce some viable ones. I once found a last instar larva feeding by night on the lowest limb of an apple tree at Strafford. I have reared the species on Prunus spp. The larvae rest by day on the branches. The last instar larva probably hides in bark crevices or on the ground.
E. apiata (Grote) is nearly limited to the Pine Barrens in this region. It is general and abundant in them from late September into November. The only other locality for the species is Lebanon where Muller took a male on 10 April 1952. This date is quite remarkable. The specimen appears too fresh to have overwintered. The normal food is cranberry, but it has been reported from blueberry (Forbes, 1954). The species occurs in the coastal plain south to North Carolina (Fort Bragg, R. A. Anderson, Carteret Co., J. B. Sullivan) and McClellanville, South Carolina (Dominick). Southward, most records are in November. Northward, the species is not limited to the coast.
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Chaetaglaea Franclemont
C. sericea (Morrison) is a very widespread species and is quite general in the Delaware Valley region. It is common all over the Pine Barrens. It was also taken in numbers in a burned over area dominated by sprout oaks over blueberry at Resica Falls, Monroe Co., 28 October 1971, and on the pine barren area at Nottingham, Chester Co., 16 October 1971. Otherwise it is uncommon in the region in my experience. The species occurs on the coastal plain in North Carolina (Carteret Co., Sullivan) and South Carolina (Florence Co., Clemson University coll.; McClellanville, Dominick). Kimball (1965) reports it in Florida. I have also seen one from Mather's collection from Newton Co., Mississippi. In the Delaware Valley area, the species flies from late September into December, mostly in October. Forbes (1954) describes the larva and I have reared it on Prunus spp.
C. tremula (Harvey) ranges along the coast from Bar Harbor, Maine (Brower) to Florida and Texas. Brower also has it from inland at Scranton, Pennsylvania and Bear Mountain, New York. In the Delaware Valley region it is abundant in the Pine Barrens mostly in late September and early October, but not taken elsewhere. I have reared it on Prunus spp. and find the larva identical to sericea except that some individuals have a blue tint dorsally. The eggs of this species are usually attached weakly, if at all, to any substrate and presumably fall to the ground in the winter. Thus the larva probably feeds on shrubs.
C. cerata (Franclemont) has an unusual distribution, ranging from Mystic, Connecticut (holotype, Franclemont, 1943), up the coast to at least Hampton, New Hampshire (Shaw, in Brower coll.) and also inland at Augusta, Maine (Brower, 18 September 1968). It also occurs in Pennsylvania at Finleyville (presumably the one in Allegheny Co., Engel's usual collecting area, although there is such a town in Bedford Co. as well), and at Auburn where it is rather common. All records, except the Maine one, are in October.
Psectraglaea Hampson
P. carnosa (Grote) is general and often common in the Pine Barrens, at least south to Batsto. Adults may often be found on the red leaves of blueberry and huckleberry (Muller, Cadbury, Forbes (1954)). They also come to bait and light. In Pennsylvania, it is known from near Mt. Pocono (T. Lis, in Schweitzer coll.) and reported from Drifton, Luzerne Co., September (Tietz, 1952). Presumably the Drifton specimen is the basis of Forbes' (1954) Luzerne Co. record. Most records are in October, but it flies into November. Muller (1965) reports huckleberry (Gaylusac-
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cia) as the foodplant. Darlington (1952) writes that Buchholz reared the species on wild cherry and that blueberry was unacceptable.
Anathix Franclemont
A. ralla (Grote and Robinson) is fairly common at French Creek, Auburn and Lebanon; less common at Strafford; and not seen from the other sites, although Rummel is reported (Anon., 1923) to have taken a specimen, 6 September 1922, at Lakehurst. It flies in this area from late August into October, most commonly in late September.
A few genera in this tribe have not been discussed above. Of these, Hillia, Xanthia and Lithomoia are apparently not represented in the Delaware Valley. The others contain widespread species which are general and common in the region.
Tribe Antitypini Anytus Grote
A. privatus (Walker) is known in this area by only one definite record, Resica Falls, Monroe Co., Pennsylvania, taken 25 August 1971 by the author. It is not different in any way from my New England series. Tietz (1952) reports it from Berks Co. in July.
A. teltowa (Smith) may be conspecific with privatus (Forbes, 1954). If so, I would retain the name as a subspecies. It has been taken in the Pine Barrens numerous times in late August and September, but it is seldom if ever really common there. I have seen similar specimens from coastal North Carolina (Carteret Co., Sullivan) and coastal South Carolina (Florence, in Clemson University coll.). Quinter has taken it once at Auburn.
Xylotype Hampson
X. capax (Grote) has been taken throughout the Pine Barrens where it is almost always common and sometimes locally abundant. Otherwise, it is known from Blue Mountain Bog and Nottingham Barrens. It is common at both places. It is also reported from Flourtown, Montgomery Co., Pennsylvania by Shapiro (1965). The American Museum has two Rothke specimens from Scranton. In cases where the habitat is known, pitch pine and scrub and/or blackjack and post oak have been common in the immediate vicinity. The primaries would be an excellent match for pitch pine bark. Most records are mid-October but there are a few in September and November. I have reared the larvae on a diet of red oak, wild cherry, crabapple and blueberry leaves. Pitch pine is not accepted. Forbes suggests Vaccinium is the preferred foodplant, but
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species of this genus are not common at the Nottingham site. I suspect that the larvae feed on a variety of plants, but if they are restricted feeders, one of the shrubby oaks seems most likely in this area. In Alberta and Saskatchewan there is a spruce feeding population (CDF) but I suspect these may not be conspecific with capax. Larvae of X. acadia, which Forbes (1954) treats as a race of capax, have been reported from alder (3) and larch (1) (CDF). I suspect that the species may be limited by some habitat requirement unrelated to foodplant. Certainly, this is a very local species. A larval description follows:
Last instar: Head and true legs, brownish red with darker shading. Cervical shield, nearly black with 12 minute white dots. Ground of body somewhat violet gray, strongly mottled with paler shades. Dorsal line, faint or absent. Subdorsal line represented by a conspicuous white dot in middle of all segments except first and last. Anterior to, and dorsal to these, a smaller white spot connected to subdorsal spot by a black patch, except on second and third segments. Lateral line, absent. Stigmatal line, very broad, white with definite blue tint, enclosing spiracles. Above and anterior to spiracles, a white dot with a black bar running to anterior edge of segment. Laterally, a conspicuous orange patch on each segment except first and last three. Anteriorly, ground shades into a dull, pale brown, partially obliterating pattern. Below stigmatal line, ground mottled with red, and with a white spot on most segments. Prolegs with a green patch.
Earlier instars: Head reddish, with darker patches. Anal segments enlarged, forming a hump, colored as rest of body. Body purplish, ventral surface not paler; subspiracular line very broad, cream color. Dorsal and subdorsal lines fine, cream. Pair of faintly darker patches centered about dorsal on each segment. Prolegs paler pinkish. This description, based on third and fourth instar larva. First instar is a semilooper as are most Noctuidae. The larva hides under debris in the later instars, at least in captivity. Unlike the Lithophanini, this species pupates in June and diapauses in that state.
Conclusion
The moths of this subfamily are primarily northern. Many do extend into the Delaware Valley region. Some extend much farther south. In general, they are less common in the southern parts of their range, although space did not allow for full discussion of this in the text. A few of the species are essentially southern. From what I have seen of southern collections there seems no doubt that these moths are poorly represented in that region and not merely overlooked. Several new life history data are presented here as well as new distributional data. I strongly suspect that more thorough collecting in the southern Appalachians will turn up many species, quite possibly some endemics. The Mt. Mitchell, North Carolina area seems especially promising. I hope that this paper will stimulate interest in these moths.
Acknowledgments
I wish to thank the following persons for the use of their collections: Dr. A. E. Brower, Augusta, Maine; J. W. Cadbury III, Browns Mills,
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New Jersey; Dr. R. B. Dominick, McClellanville, South Carolina; Joseph P. Muller, Lebanon, New Jersey; Eric L. Quinter, Auburn, Pennsylvania; J. B. Sullivan, Beaufort, North Carolina. Ric Peigler of Clemson University and Dr. F. Rindge of the American Museum of Natural History were helpful in arranging for me to examine those collections. Special thanks are due to Annie Carter of Batsto, New Jersey and to J. W. Cadbury III for their generous help in operating my traps, without which some of the records would not have been obtained. Dr. T. D. Sargent, University of Massachusetts generously supplied females from which ova were obtained and allowed me to collect extensively at his lights. An early draft of this report was submitted for credit in the Biology Department of St. Joseph's College, Philadelphia in May 1972 (Dr. R. W. Fredrickson, advisor).
Literature Cited
Anonymous. 1923. Records of Lepidoptera not in the New Jersey Report of 1909. Bull. Brooklyn Entomol. Soc. 18: 136-137.
Canada Department of Forestry. 1962. Forest Lepidoptera of Canada, Vol. 2. Forest Entomology and Pathology Branch Bull. 128.
Darlington, E. P. Notes on blueberry Lepidoptera in New Jersey. Trans. Amer. Entomol. Soc. 78: 33-57.
Fernald, M. L. 1950. Gray's Manual of Botany. 8th ed. American Book Co.
Forbes, W. T. M. 1954. Lepidoptera of New York and Neighboring States. Part III, Noctuidae. New York Agr. Exp. Sta., Memoir 329, 433 p.
Franclemont, J. G. 1942. Notes on some Cuculliinae, Phalaenidae (Lepidoptera) II. On the identity of Lithophane ferrealis Grote and Xylina inominata Smith, with some descriptions of new forms of the genus Lithophane. Hubner. Entomol. News 53: 30-35,63-66.
----------. 1943. On the identity of Glaea pastillicans Morrison and the species of
the genus Chaetaglaea new genus. Entomol. News 54: 94-97.
----------. 1968. A new species of Metaxaglaea (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Cuculliinae). Entomol. News 79: 57-63.
----------. 1969. Two new species of Lithophane from California (Noctuidae, Cuculliinae). J. Lepid. Soc. 23: 10-14.
Hampson, Sir G. 1906. Catalogue of Lepidoptera Phalaenae in the British Museum. 6: 461.
Holland, W. J. 1903. The Moth Book. Doubleday, New York. 479 p.
Kimball, C. P. 1965. The Lepidoptera of Florida. Div. Plant Industry State of Fla. Dept. Agri. Gainesville, Fla. 363 p.
McCormick, J. 1970. The Pine Barrens: a preliminary ecological inventory. New Jersey St. Mus. Res. Rep. 2. 103 p.
Muller, J. P. 1965. Supplemental list of the macrolepidoptera of New Jersey. J. N.Y. Entomol. Soc. 73: 63-67.
Platt, A. 1969. A lightweight collapsible bait trap for Lepidoptera. J. Lepid. Soc. 23: 97-101.
Shapiro, A. M. 1965. Lepidoptera records for southeastern Pennsylvania. Entomol. News 26: 91-95.
Tietz, H. M. 1952. The Lepidoptera of Pennsylvania, a manual. Penn. St. Col., Sch. Agri., Agr. Exp. Sta. State College, Penn. 180 p.