Cisseps

Franclemont, 1936

scape moths

Cisseps is a of in the Erebidae, established by John G. Franclemont in 1936. The genus contains three described , with Cisseps fulvicollis (-collared moth) being the most widely recognized. These moths are notable for their daytime activity and aposematic coloration, typically featuring a bright yellow or orange collar against a black body.

Cisseps fulvicollis by (c) brendanboyd, some rights reserved (CC BY). Used under a CC-BY license.

Cisseps fulvicollis P1460276a by
xpda. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Cisseps fulvicollis 167981491 by Chrissy McClarren and Andy Reago. Used under a CC0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Cisseps: /ˈsɪsɛps/

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Identification

Members of Cisseps can be distinguished from similar by the combination of a bright or orange collar (the '' that gives the ) on a predominantly black body, and . The yellow-collared scape (C. fulvicollis) specifically shows a narrow yellow collar and is active during daylight hours, unlike many relatives.

Images

Habitat

Found in gardens, meadows, and open areas where larval plants (grasses and sedges) and nectar sources occur.

Distribution

North America, with records from Vermont and other parts of the United States.

Seasonality

Late summer and autumn; are active during daylight hours.

Host Associations

grasses - larval laid on grasses and sedges
sedges - larval laid on grasses and sedges
Eupatorium coelestinum - food sourcehardy ageratum, nectar source

Life Cycle

are laid on grasses and sedges. are feeders and rarely observed. occurs in the larval or pupal stage, with emerging in late summer.

Behavior

are and visit flowers for nectar and pollen. feed at night. The bright coloration serves as aposematic warning of unpalatability.

Ecological Role

act as when visiting flowers. serve as on grasses and sedges. The aposematic coloration contributes to education in shared .

Human Relevance

Considered garden visitors due to services and attractive appearance. No known negative impacts.

Similar Taxa

Pyrrharctia isabella (banded woolly bear)Both are with aposematic coloration, but Pyrrharctia has a distinctly different larval form (fuzzy banded ) and appearance (tan and black rather than -collared black)
Atteva aurea (ailanthus webworm moth)Both are with bright warning coloration visiting similar flowers, but Atteva has a , orange, and black pattern rather than collar on black

More Details

Taxonomic history

Originally placed in , now classified in Erebidae Arctiinae following recent molecular phylogenetic revisions of .

Etymology

The ' ' refers to the bright collar-like coloration on the ; 'scape' in can refer to the of the , though here it describes the visual appearance of the collar.