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Estigmene acrea
Salt Marsh Moth
Florida native
A wide ranging moth found throughout Florida. The range extends from the northwest coast of South America through all of Central and North America except Alaska and the Yukon. The habitat is salt and fresh marshes, prairie grasslands, meadows, farm fields, open woods and other disturbed areas.
Adults are nocturnal and are attracted to light. These moths have a wingspan of 45-68mm (1-3/4 to 2-2/3 in.) with white forewings covered with about 20 small black spots and five larger black spots spaced along each leading edge(costa). Males have dark yellow (orangish) hindwings and female hindwings are mostly white, both with black spots. The body is white with a wide dark yellow band on top of the abdomen in both sexes.
The larvae are highly variable and up to 55mm (2-1/8 in.) long.
Estigmene acrea is a member of the Erebidae - Quadrifid noctuids family.
For more information on this species, visit the following link:
Bugguide.net page for this species
Date record last modified: Dec 08, 2021
