Papaipema cerina

Bright yellow coloration distinguishes adults from most other Papaipema species, which tend toward brown or gray tones. The September to mid-October flight period is later than many related borers. Confirmed identification requires examination of genitalia or association with known host plants.

Wetlands including emergent marsh, southern wet meadow, wet prairie, wet-mesic sand prairie, and prairie fen. Also occurs in forested habitats: southern hardwood swamp, mesic southern forest, and dry-mesic southern forest. All documented habitats share high moisture conditions.

Great Lakes region of North America. Recorded from Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Maine, Ohio, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Ontario. GBIF records also indicate presence in Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

Adults on wing from September through mid-October. Single generation annually.

Larvae feed internally as borers in shoots or roots of host plants. Documented hosts include lilies (Lilium), May apple (Podophyllum), bottlebrush grass (Hystrix patula), and dark green bullrush (Scirpus atrovirens). Larvae typically begin in grasses then switch to Lilium and related plants.

• Lilium - larval food plantLarvae bore into shoots or roots
• Podophyllum - larval food plantMay apple; larvae bore into shoots or roots
• Hystrix patula - larval food plantBottlebrush grass; early instar host
• Scirpus atrovirens - larval food plantDark green bullrush

Complete metamorphosis with one generation annually. Larvae bore into host plant shoots or roots. Pupation likely occurs in soil or within host plant remains, though specific details are not documented. Adults emerge in autumn.

Adults are nocturnal. Larvae are internal feeders, boring into plant tissues rather than feeding externally.

As a specialist borer, larvae create tunnels in native lilies and related plants, potentially affecting plant vigor. Population densities appear low due to uncommon to rare status. Role in food webs is not documented.

No documented economic importance. Uncommon to rare status may indicate sensitivity to habitat disturbance. Potential indicator species for intact wetland and mesic forest ecosystems in the Great Lakes region.

• Other Papaipema speciesMost congeners are brown or gray rather than bright yellow; P. cerina's coloration is distinctive within the genus
• Other yellow NoctuidaeSeptember-October flight period and wetland/forest habitat association help distinguish from species with different phenology or habitat preferences

• borer
• wetland
• autumn
• Great Lakes
• rare
• lily

• BugGuide
• Wikipedia
• GBIF taxonomy match
• iNaturalist taxon
• NCBI Taxonomy
• Catalogue of Life
• Hayden Grasshopper