Apamea burgessi

Morrison, 1874

Burgess' Apamea

Species Guides

1

Apamea burgessi is a noctuid native to central North America, occurring throughout the Great Plains and Great Basin regions with a disjunct on the East Coast. The has a wingspan of 38–40 mm and exhibits streaked tan and gray forewings with white hindwings. are active in late summer and early autumn, flying during September and October. The species was first described by Morrison in 1874 and includes three recognized .

Apamea burgessi ona by (c) Jared Shorma, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Jared Shorma. Used under a CC-BY license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Apamea burgessi: /əˈpeɪmiə ˈbɜrdʒəsi/

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

Identification

Distinguished from other Apamea by the combination of streaked tan and gray forewings with white hindwings. The species belongs to the taxonomically challenging Apamea, where individual variation and overlapping appearances with complicate identification. Confirmation may require examination of genitalia or other diagnostic characters not visible in standard field observations.

Images

Appearance

Wingspan 38–40 mm. Forewing streaked tan and gray; hindwing white.

Habitat

Found in prairie and grassland of the Great Plains and Great Basin regions. The disjunct East Coast occupies coastal environments. Specific microhabitat preferences for larvae and are not documented in available sources.

Distribution

Native to central North America. Core range extends throughout the Great Plains and Great Basin, from Alberta and Saskatchewan south to Texas. Disjunct present on the East Coast of the United States. Distribution records confirm presence in Alberta and Saskatchewan, Canada.

Seasonality

season occurs in September and October. Larval not documented.

Behavior

are and attracted to artificial light sources. Specific behavioral patterns including mating, oviposition, and larval habits are not documented.

Similar Taxa

  • Other Apamea speciesMembers of Apamea are notoriously difficult to distinguish visually due to individual variation and overlapping morphological characters; A. burgessi is separated by the specific combination of streaked tan/gray forewings and white hindwings, though confirmation may require dissection

More Details

Subspecies

Three recognized: Apamea burgessi burgessi (Morrison, 1874), Apamea burgessi leucoptera Mikkola, 2009, and Apamea burgessi ona (Smith, 1909)

Taxonomic history

Originally described as Luceria burgessi by Morrison in 1874; later transferred to Apamea

Sources and further reading