STHENOPSIS PURPURASCENS
Four-spotted Ghost Moth HEPIALE PURPURINEEmbedded in clear epoxy resin |
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KINGDOM : Animalia
PHYLUM : Arthropoda
CLASS : Insecta
ORDER : Lepidoptera
FAMILY :Hepialidae
GENUS :Sthenopsis
SPECIES :S. Purpurascens
Introduction of damselfly & dragonfly watching
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STHENOPSIS PURPURASCENS Four-spotted Ghost Moth HEPIALE PURPURINE Sthenopis purpurascens, the four-spotted ghost moth, is a species of moth of the family Hepialidae. It was described by Packard in 1863. It is found in Canada and the United States, from Labrador and New York north and west to British Columbia and the Northwest Territories, south in the mountains to Arizona. There are eight described species found in North America and China. The wingspan is 66-100 mm. There are two color forms, a purple-grey and a yellow-brown form. The latter was previously thought to be a separate species, Sthenopis quadriguttatus. The forewings have a darker oblique median band, a darker terminal area and darker spots along the costa. There are two small, silver spots near the wing base. The hindwings are purple brown or salmon pink and generally unmarked. The larvae feed on Populus, Salix and Alnus species. They bore into the roots of their host plant. The larvae have a cream-white body and brown head and reach a length of 50-60 cm. They need two years to complete their lifecycle. Mixed forest of white spruce, jack pine birch trembling aspen with understory of alder hazel and blueberry. |