No widely recognized common name
Common NameNo widely recognized common name
Scientific NameHypoperigea tonsa
FamilyNoctuidae
SubfamilyCondicinae
Wingspan (mm)28
Wing Patterncryptic
Primary Colorsbrown, grey, reddish-brown
HabitatWoodlands, forests, and areas with herbaceous vegetation
Geographic RangeSoutheastern United States (e.g., Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina)
Host Plantsvarious low-growing herbaceous plants, grasses
Flight PeriodMarch to November (multiple broods)
Flight Stylefluttering
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Lifecycle NotesUndergoes complete metamorphosis; larvae are caterpillars that feed on herbaceous plants, pupating in the soil before emerging as adults.
Identification TipsLook for the combination of its small size, mottled brown/grey/reddish-brown cryptic pattern, and the faint but present reniform and orbicular spots on the forewings. Distinguishing from closely related species often requires examination of genitalia.
Description
A small, cryptically patterned moth with mottled forewings in shades of brown, grey, and reddish-brown, featuring indistinct but visible reniform and orbicular spots.
