Thaxter’s Sallow
Common NameThaxter’s Sallow
Scientific NamePleroma obliquata
FamilyNoctuidae
SubfamilyXyleninae
Wingspan (mm)35
Wing Patterncryptic
Primary Colorsbrown, grey, white
HabitatDeciduous woodlands, forests
Geographic RangeEastern North America, from New York south to Florida and west to Texas
Host Plantsoak, hickory, maple, birch
Flight PeriodOctober to April (overwinters as adult)
Flight Stylefluttering
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Lifecycle NotesAdults emerge in late fall and overwinter, becoming active again in early spring to lay eggs. Larvae feed on various deciduous trees during summer, then pupate in the soil.
Identification TipsLook for its distinctive bark-like camouflage pattern on the forewings and its flight period during the colder months of late fall and early spring.
Description
A medium-sized moth with forewings cryptically patterned in mottled shades of brown, grey, and white, resembling tree bark. It has prominent, shaggy thoracic tufts.
