Arthropods • Earth.com

Exposed bird dropping moth

(Acontia aprica)

galery

Description

Tarache aprica (Synonyms: Acontia aprica), the exposed bird dropping moth, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. The species was first described by Jacob Hübner in 1808. It is found in North America from Ontario and Quebec to Florida, west to Arizona, north to Kansas and Iowa. There are some records from Great Britain, but this probably relates to imports. The habitat consists of gardens, fields and open areas. The adults are sexually dimorphic. The male forewing is basally white with two black patches along the costa, the distal patch merging with general blackish shading beyond PM line, leaving a white patch near the apex. The female forewing is mostly dark gray or blackish except for two white patches along the costa, and some white at the base and outer margin. There is a small black orbicular spot surrounded by white, which is usually prominent in both sexes. The hindwing is whitish or pale gray. There is a dark grayish-brown shading along the outer margin in the females. The wingspan is 15–29 mm. Adults are on wing from March to September in the south. They have a reduced season in the north. The larvae feed on Alcea rosea. Acontia is a genus of moths of the family Noctuidae. The genus was named by Ferdinand Ochsenheimer in 1816. Eusceptis, Pseudalypia and Spragueia are sometimes included in the present genus, but here they are tentatively treated as different pending further research. Many species of Tarache were also once placed here (see below). Palpi long, porrect (extending forward) and met by a short sharp frontal tuft. Third joint prominent. Antennae simple. Thorax and abdomen smoothly scaled and tuftless. Forewings with non-creulate cilia. Veins 7, 8 and 9, 10 stalked. Larva possess four abdominal prolegs.

Taxonomic tree:

Domain:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum:
Class: Insecta
Order:Lepidoptera
Family:Noctuidae
Genus:Acontia
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