DARK PHALAENOSTOLA

Phalaenostola eumelusalis

OWLET MOTHS (Erebidae)

The Dark Phalaenostola Moth has a wingspan of about 1 inch 25 mm).  The forewing is brown, crossed by dark brown antemedial, post medial and subterminal lines.  There is a dark, broad band in the median area.  The wavy subterminal line is accented with 2 black bulges before merging with a black apical dash.  The labial palps are upturned.  The hindwing is paler than the forewing and is crossed by 2 dark bands.  The caterpillar is brown with pinkish abdominal banding and a dark brown dorsal stripe that narrows anteriorly.  This species was indentified by expert volunteers at the BugGuide Website.

The frequency of occurrence at Fontenelle Forest and Neale Woods is not known.  It has been photographed at Camp Logan Fontenelle in Fontenelle Forest in late July 2015.  It ranges from new Brunswick to North Carolina west to Missouri and north to Saskatchewan.  Adults fly from late May to August.

 Natural larval hosts are unknown, but caterpillars in captivity have been reared on dead grasses (“Owlet Caterpillars of Eastern North America,” Wagner, Schweitzer, Sullivan & Reardon).  Another common name is Shadowy Phalaenostola.