Orthosia are a common genus of noctuid1 found worldwide with over 50 species, 9 of which have been recorded here in BC. They’re one of the earliest noctuids I see here on Bowen Island each year, and after the moth-bereft winter months it’s always such a joy to see them again,. This year (2024) was no exception, with an Orthosia praeses gracing my light sheets on March 14th (a late start). Currently I’ve seen 6 of the 9. As with other pages on this site, I’ll limit myself to posting my own photos.
Orthosia praeses
One of the more common Orthosia species here on Bowen Island. They’re variable enough that I found them a little tough to ID at first, but the overall shape, generally reddish colouration and lighter thoracic collar (see last image) compared to the thorax, make it pretty clear. There are always a few that cause confusion, but on the whole it’s an easy ID. Also note the lighter terminal area with the strongly demarcated PM line in the first two images. That’s a common form.
They’re an early year moth, tapering off by early May.
Orthosia hibisci (Speckled-green fruitworm moth)
Another common Orthosia. These are pretty uniform in markings and colouration and generally only confused with O. revicta (see below). Pretty moth.
These fly a little later than praeses, late February to early June.
Orthosia revicta (Subdued quaker)
At first blush revicta look a lot like hibisci, shown above, and it’s true, they can be remarkably similar. The one goto feature to separate the two is the order of the colours of the post-medial (PM) line. In revicta the darker line is an posterior; in hibisci it’s anterior. To put that in human English, take a look at the first revicta image – see the pale line towards the end of the wing, far from the head? That’s the PM line. If you look closely there are two colours there: a pronounced pale yellow line and just beneath it (posterior – further away from head) is a thinner redder line. The strength of the colours is variable. Now compare that with hibisci above and you’ll see the order is reversed.
In BC, O. revicta fly from April to June.
Orthosia transparens
A pretty uniform red-brown with darker . Typically I find there’s a pronounced angle between the wings down the centre the moth (forgive the technical terms!), sometimes forming a ridge like shown best in the 2nd image, making it look like it pitched a tent. Only found in the lower mainland and Vancouver Island, it’s not likely to be confused with much else. PNW mentions that O. pulchella can be similar, but it’s not a species I’ve yet seen.
Flies from March to May.
- Noctuid = a member of the Noctuidae family. ↩︎
BC Moths 