Pettit's Sallow
Common NamePettit's Sallow
Scientific NameEupsilia pettiti
FamilyNoctuidae
SubfamilyXyleninae
Wingspan (mm)40
Primary Colorsorange, brown
HabitatDeciduous and mixed forests, woodlands
Geographic RangeEastern North America, from southern Canada to Florida and west to Texas
Host Plantsoak, maple, birch, willow, cherry
Flight PeriodOctober to April
Flight Stylefluttering
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Lifecycle NotesUndergoes complete metamorphosis; eggs are laid in spring, larvae feed on deciduous trees during summer, pupate in the soil, and adults emerge in late fall to overwinter.
Identification TipsDistinguished by its overall reddish-orange to orange-brown coloration, furry head and thorax, and the faint, often indistinct, reniform and orbicular spots on the forewings. Its flight period (late fall to early spring) is also a key identifier.
Description
A medium-sized moth with a furry, reddish-orange head and thorax, and forewings that are a mottled orange-brown with faint darker markings, including reniform and orbicular spots.
