Nameless pinion facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Nameless pinion |
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| Caterpillar | |
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Lithophane
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| Species: |
L. innominata
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| Lithophane innominata Smith, 1893
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The nameless pinion (scientific name: Lithophane innominata) is a type of moth that belongs to the Noctuidae family. This moth was first described by a scientist named Smith in 1893. It lives in many parts of North America.
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Meet the Nameless Pinion Moth!
The nameless pinion moth is a fascinating insect found across North America. Even though its name suggests it's "nameless," scientists gave it a special scientific name, Lithophane innominata, to identify it! Moths are a lot like butterflies, but they are usually active at night.
What Does This Moth Look Like?
The nameless pinion moth is a medium-sized moth. Its wingspan (the distance from one wingtip to the other) is about 35 to 39 millimeters. That's roughly the length of a few paperclips lined up! The colors and patterns on its wings help it blend in with its surroundings, which is a great way to hide from predators.
Where Does This Moth Live?
You can find the nameless pinion moth in many places across North America. It lives from Nova Scotia and New Brunswick in eastern Canada, all the way west to Vancouver Island on the Pacific coast. It also lives in the mountains, both in the east and the west. You can also spot it in the wooded areas of Alberta, stretching north towards Lake Athabasca. These moths prefer places with lots of trees because their young need trees to eat.
The Life Cycle of the Nameless Pinion
Like all moths, the nameless pinion goes through a complete life cycle with different stages.
When Does It Fly?
This moth has an interesting flight schedule. It flies during two main periods each year. You might see it flying from September to October in the fall. Then, after the winter, it flies again from April to May in the spring. The exact timing can depend on how warm or cold the weather is in different locations.
What Do the Larvae Eat?
The young stage of the moth is called a larva or caterpillar. The caterpillars of the nameless pinion moth are not picky eaters! They feed on a wide variety of trees. This means they can find food easily in many different forests and wooded areas. The image in the taxobox shows one of these caterpillars.
