Bracken Borer Moth
Common NameBracken Borer Moth
Scientific NamePhlogophora periculosa
FamilyNoctuidae
SubfamilyXyleninae
Wingspan (mm)45
Primary Colorsorange, brown, yellow, white
HabitatWoodlands, gardens, disturbed areas, fields
Geographic RangeEastern North America (from Newfoundland south to Florida and west to Manitoba and Texas)
Host Plantsbracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum), various other ferns, broadleaf plants
Flight PeriodMay to October (often bivoltine)
Flight Stylefluttering
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Lifecycle NotesLarvae are green or brown, feeding on host plants. They pupate in the soil, and the species overwinters as a pupa or adult in some parts of its range.
Identification TipsKey features include the unique 'angle shades' wing shape, the mottled brown and orange coloration, and the two prominent, often white, reniform and orbicular spots on the forewings.
Description
A medium-sized moth with distinctively angled, mottled brown and yellowish-orange forewings, featuring prominent white kidney-shaped (reniform) and circular (orbicular) spots.
