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Hethemia pistasciaria (Guenée,
1857). [7084]
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Hethemia pistasciaria, dorsal
(left) and ventral (right) wing surfaces. Adult specimens above collected in
Vaccinium undergrowth of pine forest, Franklin Parker Preserve, Burlington Co., NJ. 12 May
2007. |
Hethemia pistasciaria
subspecies insecutata, adult female, dorsal wing surfaces showing
strong red-purple coloration of this southern form. Adult specimens soon
fade to a mocha brown color reminiscent of the brown color spring forms
of Nemoria bistriaria. Specimen above collected in sweetgum-tupelo-cypress
forest, Colleton Co., South Carolina, 22 March 2008. |
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Hethemia pistasciaria is the
sole species in the genus Hethemia. It is related to the northern
species Mesothea incertata. Though highly variable in color, it
is most frequently seen in the northeast as a sage green adult that
fades to an orange-yellow color. The ventral surfaces of both forewings
and hindwings may be found in an even, bright orange color (top, right).
The wing fringes of New Jersey pinelands specimens we have
collected show a strong violet red color (above, lower specimen) on the
wing fringe, while central Pennsylvania specimens have tended to have a
fringe that is concolorous with the wing. A southern subspecies is colored more
red-brown to purple-brown. Images of
Hethemia pistasciaria
larvae. |
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