Feltia manifesta

(Morrison, 1875)

Adobe Dart

Feltia manifesta, commonly known as the Adobe Dart, is a of or dart in the . It was first described by Morrison in 1875 under the name Agrotis manifesta. The species is found in North America, where its develop as subterranean cutworms. moths have been documented visiting flowers, where they serve as for the ichneumon Ceratogastra ornata.

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

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Feltia manifesta by (c) Trevor Edmonson, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Trevor Edmonson. Used under a CC-BY license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Feltia manifesta: //ˈfɛl.ti.ə mænˈnɪ.fɛs.tə//

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Images

Distribution

North America. The has been recorded in the United States and Canada, with 86 observations documented on iNaturalist.

Diet

are subterranean that feed on plant material at or below ground level. Specific plants have not been documented.

Host Associations

Ceratogastra ornata - Ichneumon that parasitizes Feltia or newly-hatched in flower buds; wasp larvae develop as internal of the
Ambrosia artemisiifolia - siteFemale have been observed laying in buds of Common Ragweed, where they are targeted by
Eupatorium - siteDocumented as a site for -laying by females
Helianthus annuus - nectar source visit of Common Sunflower
Solidago - flower visitor visit goldenrod flowers but has not been documented from this plant

Life Cycle

Females lay in flower buds of certain plants. Newly hatched migrate to the ground and complete development as subterranean . The has one or more per year, though specific details are undocumented.

Behavior

visit flowers to obtain nectar. Females have been observed inserting into flower buds, a that exposes the eggs to by ichneumon . live subterraneously as .

Ecological Role

function as in soil . The serves as a for , contributing to complexity in floral .

Human Relevance

are that may damage crops or garden plants by feeding on stems at or below ground level, though specific economic impacts have not been documented for this .

Similar Taxa

Other Feltia speciesMany in the Feltia are morphologically similar and require dissection or genetic analysis for definitive identification; F. manifesta is distinguished by its specific - associations and geographic distribution

More Details

Taxonomic History

Originally described as Agrotis manifesta by Morrison in 1875, later transferred to the Feltia. The is assigned MONA/Hodges number 10666 in North American systems.

Research Significance

This is notable for its documented interaction with the ichneumon Ceratogastra ornata, one of the few well-characterized - relationships involving a Feltia . This association has been observed independently by entomologists Eric Eaton and J.C. Bridwell.