Harrisina metallica
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Harrisina metallica |
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| ( Stretch , 1885) |
Harrisina metallica is a butterfly fromthe ram family (Zygaenidae)found in North America.
features
butterfly
Harrisina metallica has a wingspan of 22 to 30 millimeters. The wings are narrow, elongated and black without drawing. Sometimes they have a metallic, bluish or greenish shimmer. The collar behind the black head is black or only slightly reddish in color. The upper side of the hind wing is black without drawing. The abdomen is also black. In both sexes the black antennae are ciliate. The proboscis is well developed.
Similar species
With Harrisina americana , the collar always has a striking orange-red color. The species does not occur in the western United States, so there is no geographical overlap with Harrisina metallica .
Caterpillar
Full-grown caterpillars of Harri Sina metallica have a yellow base color and are provided with two wide blue and several smaller black cross bands that are made up of a series of short hairy warts point.
Occurrence and habitat
Harrisina metallica is sometimes abundant in the western and midwestern United States . The main habitat are sunny slopes and wine-growing areas.
Way of life
The mostly diurnal moths fly in several generations between March and November, mainly in September. They like to visit flowers to take in nectar. The food plants of the caterpillars are various types of grapevine ( Vitis ) and virgin vine ( Parthenocissus ). The caterpillars are sometimes by the defoliation of cultivated vineyards in California's wine regions harmful . The damage manifests itself in brown, necrotic, skeletonized leaf tissue, since the young, sociable larvae prefer to eat some, but not all, of the layers of a leaf. Later stages destroy almost the entire leaf and leave only a few large veins. In English usage, the species is therefore referred to as the Western Grapeleaf Skeletonizer ( Western grape leaf skeleton moth ).
Individual evidence
Web links
- BugGuide - Iowa State University information
- butterfliesandmoths - Butterflies and Moths of North America