Pacific Northwest Moths

Identification

Adults

Copanarta sexpunctata is a distinctive very small (FW length 8–9 mm) day-flying moth with a dark gray forewing with a white-outlined figure-eight-shaped reniform spot and a black hindwing with two white spots that occurs in the high Siskiyou Mountains during the summer. The forewing has a smoothly convex outer margin and is even very dark gray with a sprinkling of white scales anterior to the reniform spot. The basal, antemedial, and postmedial lines are single, black. The antemedial line is perpendicular to the costa with zigzags on the veins posterior to the cell. The postmedial line is weakly scalloped on the veins, broadly excurved around the reniform spot and nearly perpendicular to the trailing margin posterior to this spot. The medial line is absent. The subterminal line is weak, mostly scattered pale scales, uneven. The terminal line is black. The fringe is black or very weakly checkered with pale scales. The reniform spot is large, oval or weakly figure-eight-shaped, outlined in thin black but evident mostly as a white target pattern produced by peripheral and central white scales. The orbicular spot is absent or a small black oval filled with the gray ground color or a few white scales. The claviform spot is absent. The hindwing, including the fringe, is solid jet black with two pure white dots located near the position of the discal spot and the other along the adjacent medial margin. The head and thorax are gray, usually slightly lighter than the forewing. The male antenna is filiform.

This moth is recognized easily by its nearly black color with target-like white filling of the reniform spot on the forewing and two white dots on the hindwing. Other small predominantly black moths that occur in the same range have more band-like pale markings on both wings. A few Schinia species have similar black hindwings with two white spots, but their forewings have different, more complex, patterns than that of C. sexpunctata. Copanarta sexpunctata should only be expected in southwestern Oregon in the Pacific Northwest.

Larvae

The early stages of Copanarta sexpunctata are unknown.

Habitat

This moth has been found in an open high elevation site in Oregon.

Distribution

Pacific Northwest

The only record of C. sexpunctata in our region is from the Siskiyou Mountains near the California border.

Global

This species occurs throughout most of California to the northern Baja Peninsula in adjacent Mexico.

Life History

Larvae

The food plant of the larva is unknown.

Adults

Adults of this moth fly during the day and visit flowers to take nectar.

Economic Importance

None.

Literature

BugGuide

Moth Photographers Group