Patania silicalis explained

Patania silicalis, commonly known as the herbivorous pleuroptya moth, is a species of moth in the subfamily Spilomelinae of the family Crambidae. It was described by Achille Guenée in 1854.^[1] It is found in Brazil, Venezuela, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Panama, Mexico, Cuba,^[2] Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Hispaniola and the United States, where it has been recorded from Missouri, Michigan, Ohio and New York, south to Florida.^[3]

Description

The wingspan is 24–. Adults are on wing in summer in North America.^[4]

Behaviour and ecology

The larvae feed on Polygonum,^[5] Ipomoea batatas, Ipomoea setifera, Merremia umbellata, Rivina humilis, Bougainvillea spectabilis and Boehmeria nivea.^[6]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Nuss . Matthias . etal . 2003–2017 . GlobIZ search . Global Information System on Pyraloidea . June 6, 2018.
2. Web site: Savela . Markku . Pleuroptya silicalis (Guenée, 1854) . Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms . June 6, 2018.
3. Web site: 801188.00 – 5243 – Pleuroptya silicalis – Herbivorous Pleuroptya Moth – (Guenée, 1854) . North American Moth Photographers Group . Mississippi State University . June 6, 2018.
4. Web site: Cotinis . January 5, 2017 . Species Patania silicalis - Herbivorous Pleuroptya Moth - Hodges#5243 . BugGuide.Net . June 6, 2018.
5. Heppner . J.B. . Habeck . D.H. . 1976 . Insects associated with Polygonum (Polygonaceae) in North Central Florida. I. Introduction and Lepidoptera . The Florida Entomologist . 59 . 3 . 231–239 . February 8, 2019 . 10.2307/3494258. 3494258 .
6. Bendicho-Lopez . Aurora . 1998 . Species New distributional and foodplant records for twenty Cuban moths . Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society . 52 . 2 . 214–216 . February 8, 2019.