Kingdom Animalia Class Insecta Genus Zale Phylum Arthropoda Order Butterflies and moths | Subphylum Hexapoda Family Noctuidae Scientific name Zale lunifera Rank Species | |
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Similar Zale, Zale intenta, Butterflies and moths, Parallelia bistriaris, Zale lunata | ||
Zale lunifera (bold-based zale) is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It occurs primarily east and south of the Appalachian Mountains, from southern Maine south to Lee Co., Mississippi and Florida. It is not known from south-eastern Virginia or South Carolina, but the species may occur in these regions. Lack of suitable habitat in Maryland and Delaware make occurrence in these states unlikely. It also occurs inland to the mountains of Virginia and Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. In south-eastern Georgia it inhabits open, sandy pine-oak forest.
The wingspan is 37–45 mm. Adults are on wing from April to May and from July to August.
The larvae feed on various Quercus ilicifolia and other scrub oak species.
References
Zale lunifera Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA