Comstock's Sallow
Common NameComstock's Sallow
Scientific NameLithophane antennata
FamilyNoctuidae
SubfamilyXyleninae
Wingspan (mm)43
Wing Patterncryptic
Primary Colorsgreen, black, white
HabitatDeciduous woodlands, forests, suburban areas
Geographic RangeEastern North America, from Nova Scotia west to Manitoba and south to Florida and Texas
Host Plantsoak, maple, birch, willow, elm, ash, cherry, apple
Flight PeriodSeptember to November (fall brood), March to May (spring brood after overwintering)
Flight Stylefluttering
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Lifecycle NotesLarvae feed in spring, pupate in the soil during summer, and adults emerge in the fall. The adults then overwinter and re-emerge in early spring to mate and lay eggs.
Identification TipsLook for the distinctive bright green and black mottled forewings, which can fade to olive or brownish with age. The reniform and orbicular spots are typically outlined in black, and the moth has a hairy, green thorax.
Description
A medium-sized moth with forewings displaying a complex, mottled pattern of bright green, black, and pale greenish-white, giving it a lichen-like appearance. The thorax is also densely covered in green scales.
