Feltia herilis

19. Feltia herilis (Grote) Master’s Dart

(Fig. 23, Map 14)

Identification: Forewing length 15.0–19.0 mm. Forewing ground color is dark gray with contrasting blackish­gray discal area. Orbicular spot is cut almost in half by R vein and outlined in cream and black, reniform spot is cream, outlined in black. This species is distinguished by the cream­colored streak that extends along the M vein and turns ventrad between veins Cu 1 and Cu 2. Hindwing is dark gray, becoming lighter basally with a faint discal spot.

Flight period: Collected from mid­August to mid­October.

Collected localities: North Carolina: Haywood Co., Cataloochee; Swain Co., Big Cove Road site b, Big Cove Road site c, Big Cove Road site p, Big Cove Road site w, Ravensford. Tennessee: Blount Co., vicinity of Cades Cove, Cades Cove near Ranger Station, Tremont; Cocke Co., Cosby ATBI house, Foothills Parkway East, Foothills Parkway, 2 nd overlook East; Sevier Co., Elkmont, Park Headquarters. (31 specimens)

MAP 14. Collecting localities of Felia herilis.

Elevation range: 1360–2600 ft. (415–792 m)

General distribution: Widespread, from Newfoundland across Canada to Yukon and British Columbia; in the eastern United States from Maine to panhandle of Florida, west to North Dakota, Missouri, and south­central Texas; in the western United States in the Rocky Mountain region from Montana south to southern New Mexico and eastern Arizona, and in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho (Lafontaine 2004).

Larval hosts: The larva of F. herilis cannot be distinguished from that of the Dingy Cutworm (F. jaculifera (Guenée)). It is probably a general feeder (Lafontaine 2004).