Distinguished Cypress Owlet Moth
Common NameDistinguished Cypress Owlet Moth
Scientific NamePonometia distincta
FamilyNoctuidae
SubfamilyAcontiinae
Wingspan (mm)22
Wing Patterncryptic
Primary Colorsbrown, gray, black, white
HabitatCypress swamps, wet woodlands, areas with cypress trees
Geographic RangeSoutheastern United States (e.g., Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Mississippi, Louisiana)
Host PlantsBald Cypress (Taxodium distichum), Pond Cypress (Taxodium ascendens)
Flight PeriodMarch to November (multiple broods)
Flight Stylefluttering
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Lifecycle NotesUndergoes complete metamorphosis; larvae are caterpillars that feed on the foliage of cypress trees before pupating.
Identification TipsLook for the distinctive forewing pattern, including a pale, often broken, median band and dark markings, especially in areas with cypress trees.
Description
A small, cryptically patterned moth with forewings mottled in shades of brown, gray, and black, often featuring a prominent pale median band and dark terminal area.
