Checkered Apogeshna (5177)

Apogeshna stenialis

Family Crambidae, subfamily Pyraustinae
Photograph copyright by Tony Leukering

6 June 2012

Near Mayville

CMMP block R08
Distribution map

This small beast (17 mm wingspan), though strikingly patterned and colored and despite its wide range (Maine s. to Florida and, at least, Illinois s. to Alabama), is very poorly known. The species' page at Bug Guide notes that the habitat is not well known ("Deciduous forests?"); I have encountered it in areas of mostly deciduous forest, dominated by oaks, Sweetgum, Sassafras, and Red Maple, though with some admixture of pine and, of course, the ubiquitous American Holly.


Its life cycle is also unknown. That is, we do not know what its caterpillar looks like, much less what it eats, among nearly all other aspects of its behavior and ecology. The fact that it represents a monotypic genus means that we may not be able to infer much of that unknown life history from congeners, as it has none. In Cape May County, at least, it is not at all rare, as I have seen it in multiple places and on multiple dates. It readily comes to lights and I have also kicked it out of waste places (lots of Haresfoot Clover and a bit of grass) during the day. In fact, one of the individuals that I kicked up is the subject in this post's picture, perched on the underside of a leaf about a foot off the ground (the photo requiring some slow and careful contortions to obtain!). The species joins some 230 other species in North America of the Tribe Spilomelini of the subfamily Pyraustinae of the family Crambidae (the same family that houses the grass-veneers; see Pasture Grass-veneer).