Feltia geniculata

(Grote & Robinson, 1868)

Knee-joint Dart

Feltia geniculata, commonly known as the knee-joint dart, is a noctuid native to eastern Canada and adjacent parts of the northeastern United States. are active from July through mid-September and have a wingspan of 29–34 mm. The is known to be parasitized by the ichneumon Ceratogastra ornata, which lays in moth eggs deposited in flower buds.

CATALOGUE-BM-LXVIII by Sir GEORGE F. HAMPSON, Bart.. Used under a Public domain license.

-10680 – Feltia geniculata – Knee-joint Dart by Wildreturn. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.

-10680 – Feltia geniculata – Knee-joint Dart - 52395351146 by Wildreturn. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Feltia geniculata: //ˈfɛl.ti.ə dʒɪˌnɪ.kjʊˈleɪ.tə//

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Identification

Available sources do not provide specific diagnostic characters to distinguish Feltia geniculata from other Feltia . The 'knee-joint dart' suggests a possible morphological feature, but this is not described in accessible literature.

Images

Appearance

have a wingspan of 29–34 mm. Specific coloration and pattern details are not well documented in available sources.

Habitat

Specific preferences are not documented. Based on distribution records, the occurs in temperate regions of eastern North America.

Distribution

Eastern Canada: Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Manitoba. Adjacent United States: Massachusetts and likely surrounding northeastern states.

Seasonality

are on wing from July to mid-September.

Diet

Larvae feed on a wide variety of plants. Specific plant records are not documented in available sources.

Host Associations

Ceratogastra ornata - The ichneumon parasitizes Feltia laid in flower buds; observed on Ambrosia artemisiifolia (Common Ragweed) and Eupatorium thoroughworts

Life Cycle

Females lay in flower buds. Caterpillars hatch and migrate to the ground, where they complete development as subterranean cutworms. The has one per year based on period.

Behavior

Females oviposit in flower buds of certain plants, including ragweed and thoroughworts. This makes vulnerable to by flower-visiting ichneumon wasps.

Ecological Role

As a subterranean , larvae likely function as herbivores and soil-dwelling . The serves as a for , contributing to connections between above-ground flowering plants and soil .

Similar Taxa

Other Feltia speciesMany Feltia share similar size range, habits, and larval feeding . Specific distinguishing characters for F. geniculata are not documented.

More Details

Parasitoid biology

Ceratogastra ornata has been documented parasitizing Feltia geniculata in Common Ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) flower buds. This represents a specialized interaction where the intercepts eggs before caterpillars can establish as soil-dwelling cutworms.