Xanthopastis timais
| Xanthopastis timais | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Noctuidae |
| Genus: | Xanthopastis |
| Species: | X. timais |
| Binomial name | |
| Xanthopastis timais (Cramer, [1780]) | |
| Synonyms | |
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The Spanish Moth or Convict Caterpillar (Xanthopastis timais) is a moth of the Noctuidae family. It is found throughout the lowland areas of South and Central America and in the Caribbean. In the south, it ranges to northern Argentina. It is also present in North America, where it is found from North Carolina and South Carolina to Texas and south to Florida. Strays have been recorded as far north as coastal New York, and inland as far north as Kentucky and Arkansas.
The wingspan is 39-45 mm. Adults have rosy-pink and black forewings, spotted with orange along the wing veins. The hindwings are gray. In Florida, adults are on wing from January to early June and again from September to December.
The larvae feed on Amaryllidaceae, Iridaceae and Liliaceae species, including Amaryllis, Clivia, Cooperia, Eucharis, Haemanthus, Hippeastrum, Hymenocallis, Narcissus, Pancratium, Polianthes, Zephyranthes, Iris, Crinum, Leucojum and Lilium species. They feed gregariously on leaves, bulbs and rhizomes of the host plants.
References
Retrieved from : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xanthopastis_timais
