Map-winged swift

Map-winged swift
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Hepialidae
Genus:	Pharmacis
Species:	P. fusconebulosa
Binomial name
Pharmacis fusconebulosa (De Geer, 1778)
Synonyms
Hepialusokninskyi De Geer, 1778 Viette, 1959 Hepialus fusconebulosus (De Geer, 1778) Hepialus fusconebulosa (De Geer, 1778) Phalaena mappa Donovan, 1801 Haworth, 1802 Hubner, [1808] Haworth, 1809 Haworth, 1828 Staudinger, 1887 Valle, 1931 Ermolajev, 1937 Bytinski-Salz, 1939 Viette, 1959 Korscheltellus centralis Korscheltellus fusconebulosa Hepialus gallicus Hepialus minor Hepialus vallei Hepialus latefasciatus Viette, 1959 (De Geer, 1778) Hepialus nebulosator Bombyx velleda Hepialus nebolosus Hepialusnebulosus Lederer, 1852 Staudinger, 1887 Gronblom, 1936 Bytinski-Salz, 1939 Viette, 1959 Korscheltellus shetlandicus Korscheltellus vosgesiacus Korscheltellus pyreneensis Phalaena fusconebulosa Hepialus askoldensis Hepialus hyperboreus Hepialus ornatus

The map-winged swift (Pharmacis fusconebulosa) is a moth belonging to the family Hepialidae. The species was first described by Charles De Geer in 1778. It has a patchy distribution throughout Eurasia. It was previously placed in the genus Hepialus and some references still place it there.

Mounted

This moth gets its common name from the variegated pattern of the forewing, in various shades of black, brown and white, which look rather like a map (although there are plainer forms). Unlike most hepialids, the pattern is rather similar in both sexes although the female is usually rather larger with a wingspan of up to 50 mm.

The adult flies from May to July (August in the north of the range) and is attracted to light, sometimes strongly so. This species overwinters twice as a larva.

Figs. 4 4a, 4b larvae after last moult, 4c pupa 4d piece of root of fern (Pteris aquilina) burrowed by the larva

This moth is strongly associated with bracken (Pteridium spp.) and it is most frequently encountered in habitats where this plant occurs (e.g. moorland, heathland, open woodland). However the larva, which is a root-feeder, has been recorded on other ferns such as Polystichum, grasses such as red fescue and also on potatoes and probably will feed on a wide range of other plants.

1. ^ The flight season refers to the British Isles. This may vary in other parts of the range.

References

• Skinner, Bernard (1984). Colour Identification Guide to Moths of the British Isles. p. 2. ISBN 0-670-80354-5.
• Waring, Paul; Martin Townsend (2003). Field Guide to the Moths of Great Britain and Ireland. pp. 21, 46. ISBN 0-9531399-2-1.

External links

• Kimber, Ian. "3.003 BF18 Map-winged Swift Korscheltellus fusconebulosa (De Geer, 1778)". UKMoths. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
• Pharmacis fusconebulosa at HOSTS (Caterpillar Hostplants Database) Note this link seems not to be working, as of 28 June 2020
• Korscheltellus fusconebulosa at Lepiforum e.V.