Resapamea passer

Guenée, 1852

Dock Rustic Moth

Resapamea passer, commonly known as the Dock Rustic , is a noctuid moth found across North America from the Rocky Mountains to the Atlantic Coast. The species inhabits wetlands and has a forewing length of 15–19 mm. Larvae are stem- and root-borers that feed on Rumex species and possibly Polygonum.

Resapamea passer by (c) Laura Gaudette, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Laura Gaudette. Used under a CC-BY license.

Resapamea passer 01 by CBG Photography Group, Centre for Biodiversity Genomics. Used under a CC0 license.

Resapamea passer male1 by Crabo LG, Davis M, Hammond P, Mustelin T, Shepard J. Used under a CC BY 3.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Resapamea passer: /rɛsəˈpæmiə ˈpæsɛr/

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

Identification

Forewing length of 15–19 mm distinguishes this from larger or smaller . Association with wetland and Rumex plants may aid identification where multiple Resapamea species occur.

Images

Appearance

Forewing length 15–19 mm. Specific coloration and pattern details are not documented in available sources.

Habitat

Wetlands. The shows strong association with mesic environments across its broad geographic range.

Distribution

Rocky Mountain region from central Alberta to northern Arizona; mid-Continent from Minnesota and southern Ontario south to Oklahoma and North Carolina; Atlantic Coast from Newfoundland to Maryland. Canadian provincial records include Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan.

Diet

Larvae feed on Rumex (docks and sorrels) and possibly Polygonum species. Larvae bore into stems and roots of plants.

Host Associations

Rumex - larval food plantstems and roots bored by larvae
Polygonum - possible larval food plantfeeding inferred from related ; not confirmed

Ecological Role

As a stem- and root-boring herbivore, larvae likely influence Rumex in wetland . The may serve as prey for wetland-associated including birds, bats, and predatory arthropods.

Similar Taxa

Other Resapamea species share similar and preferences; R. passer distinguished by forewing length, geographic range, and confirmed Rumex association