Agonopterix argillacea

Agonopterix argillacea attracted to the porch light on a mild evening after a warm day with a high temperature of 65 degrees F.

comments (8)

Christine Young

Lion

Beautiful! I've never seen this species before. Posted 6 years ago
1. Gary B
  
  Lion
  
  MPG's map http://mothphotographersgroup.msstate.edu/large_map.php?hodges=889 shows them occurring in Maine but not the rest of New England and then in Maryland and Virginia. There appear to be a lot of gaps in the species' distribution but very likely that is a result of undersampling. In most parts of its range, the species flight period begins in early spring and lasts into the fall. I have a lot of photos from April last year and a few from October. Posted 6 years ago
2. 1. Christine Young
    
    Lion
    
    Well, maybe I'll be lucky enough to see one :) Posted 6 years ago
  2. 1. Gary B
      
      Lion
      
      This species is very abundant here right now. I see a few each night the temps are above 30. BAMONA https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Agonopterix-argillacea shows it to be in NY, MA, and PA so maybe where you live, too? Posted 6 years ago
    2. 1. Christine Young
        
        Lion
        
        I'll be watching for it! Posted 6 years ago
      2. Gary B
        
        Lion
        
        They're tiny but do come to lights. Today has been very warm here and the warm temps will continue late into the night so I think I'll be out on the porch a lot. I'm hoping to find Scoliopteryx libatrix which I found last year when it came to the grape jelly I put out for the robins. Posted 6 years ago
        
        Gary B
        
        Lion
        
        I'm re-thinking the id on this one. In the past few nights I've seen some Agonopterix that look like A. argillacea but seem a bit pale, even silvery. The id for this darker one is good and much closer to photos at BG and MPG:
        
        Posted 6 years ago
        
        Christine Young
        
        Lion
        
        Looks good! Posted 6 years ago

The Agonopterix argillacea

''Agonopterix argillacea'' is a moth in the Depressariidae family. It was described by Walsingham in 1881. It is found in North America, where it has been recorded from California to British Columbia and in Manitoba, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Michigan, South Dakota, Illinois, Texas, Florida and Utah.

The wingspan is 14–21 mm. The forewings are pale greyish-ochreous, irrorated with blackish fuscous scales. The pale basal patch is diffused along the costal margin, but bounded.. more

Info 5 0

Similar species: Moths And Butterflies

Species identified by Gary B