Choephora fungorum

Grote & Robinson, 1868

Bent-lined Dart, bent-line dart

Choephora fungorum, known as the bent-lined dart, is a noctuid native to eastern North America. are active in autumn and possess a wingspan of 33–47 mm. The is notable for its broad geographic range spanning from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast.

Choephora fungorum by no rights reserved, uploaded by Ken Kneidel. Used under a CC0 license.Choephora fungorum P1560731a by xpda. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.Choephora fungorum, Megan McCarty78 by Meganmccarty. Used under a Public domain license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Choephora fungorum: /kʰoʊˈɛfɔrə fʌŋˈɡoʊrəm/

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

Identification

The bent-lined dart can be recognized by the characteristic bent or angled transverse line on the forewings. The is most reliably identified by this wing pattern in combination with its autumn period and eastern North American distribution.

Images

Appearance

have a wingspan of 33–47 mm. The refers to a diagnostic bent or angled line on the forewings.

Habitat

Occurs in a variety of open and semi-open across eastern North America, including fields, meadows, and disturbed areas where larval plants grow.

Distribution

Eastern North America from southern Ontario, Pennsylvania, and southern Michigan south to the northern Gulf Coast of Florida, and west to central Kansas and eastern Texas.

Seasonality

fly from September to November, with timing varying by latitude and local conditions.

Diet

Larvae feed on Trifolium (clover), Nicotiana (tobacco), and various herbaceous weeds. Larvae have been successfully reared on Taraxacum (dandelion) .

Host Associations

  • Trifolium - larval food plant
  • Nicotiana - larval food plant
  • Taraxacum - larval food plantused in captive rearing

Life Cycle

Complete with , larval, pupal, and stages. Larvae are herbivorous and feed on low-growing herbaceous plants. Adults are and active in autumn.

Behavior

are and attracted to light. period is restricted to autumn months.

Ecological Role

Larvae function as herbivores in early successional and open . may serve as prey for including bats and birds.

Human Relevance

Larvae occasionally feed on cultivated tobacco (Nicotiana), potentially causing minor agricultural concern. Otherwise of limited economic significance.

Similar Taxa

  • Other Choephora speciesCongeneric may share general Noctuinae ; reliable separation requires examination of genitalia or detailed wing pattern analysis
  • Other autumn-flying NoctuinaeMultiple noctuid share similar size, coloration, and autumn ; the bent forewing line is diagnostic for C. fungorum

More Details

Taxonomic history

Described by Grote and Robinson in 1868. The epithet "fungorum" (of mushrooms) appears to be a misnomer, as larvae feed on herbaceous plants rather than fungi.

Tags

Sources and further reading