Nemoria lixaria (Guenée, 1857). [7033]
Nemoria lixaria male, collected Worcester CO., MD, May 2008.
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Nemoria lixaria, reared ex ovum on Quercus, parent female collected Pocomoke State Forest, Worcester Co., MD.
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Nemoria lixaria in its warm weather form closely resembles N. bistriaria in wing markings, abdominal spots. Like N. bistriaria, N. lixaria also displays an oblique white band on the foretibia. Male genitalia exhibit the most reliable characteristics to distinguish these two species in areas where they overlap. Nemoria lixaria has been collected as far north as New Jersey and Pennsylvania, south to Alabama and Florida, and as far west as Texas.
Nemoria lixaria has been shown to express varying degrees of melanic pigment overlaying the green wing color when adults develop and eclose at cool temperatures. The black pigmentation is most evident inside of the am and pm lines, on the abdomen surrounding the white spots on anterior abdominal segments, and on the fringes. In the most extreme cases, the dark pigment may cover a majority of the green wing surface in black shading. Cool weather specimens may also exhibit variations in the ground color of the green wings, with some spring specimens exhibiting a pale, frosty or mint green color and others, especially those with some degree of melanization, varying towards an ochre yellow green. The series of specimens pictured below were experimentally obtained by subjecting late instar larvae and pupae to varying conditions of light and temperature to investigate the effects of seasonal conditions on adult moth wing pigmentation.
Nemoria lixaria has been shown to express varying degrees of melanic pigment overlaying the green wing color when adults develop and eclose at cool temperatures. The black pigmentation is most evident inside of the am and pm lines, on the abdomen surrounding the white spots on anterior abdominal segments, and on the fringes. In the most extreme cases, the dark pigment may cover a majority of the green wing surface in black shading. Cool weather specimens may also exhibit variations in the ground color of the green wings, with some spring specimens exhibiting a pale, frosty or mint green color and others, especially those with some degree of melanization, varying towards an ochre yellow green. The series of specimens pictured below were experimentally obtained by subjecting late instar larvae and pupae to varying conditions of light and temperature to investigate the effects of seasonal conditions on adult moth wing pigmentation.
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The uncus of the male genitalia in Nemoria lixaria is substantially different from that of Nemoria bistriaria, and the spatulate tip of the uncus can often be observed in male specimens with a good microscope even without performing any dissection. Click the hypertext link here for images and discussion of Nemoria lixaria larvae.
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Nemoria lixaria series subjected experimentally to varying degrees of cool temperature and reduced light levels to induce melanic forms.